


The Princess of my Dreams

by kickmeinthecsfeels



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-25
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-04-23 08:22:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 62,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4869914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kickmeinthecsfeels/pseuds/kickmeinthecsfeels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I accidently deleted my previous work and now reposting.  I am such a dunce.  Anyway here's the summary:  CS AU. Crown Prince Killian learns that he is promised to the lost Princess Emma of Storybrooke and has to travel to another land to find her. Unfortunately things don't go as planned. What he thinks he is looking for turns into something he could never have imagined - a fiery, passionate love. Emma didn't expect her life to turn upside down and she was reluctant to reveal her feelings to this man.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to add Chapter 37 when my finger lazily drifted over the mouse and hit delete instead of add new chapter which was why I had to repost the whole thing. Anyway, apologies to my readers who follow my story. I'll miss seeing all the comments and hope you bookmark and comment on it again.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Adam and Eddie are my kings.

Marquess Robin of Loxley knocked on the door awaiting entry at the luxurious home. The butler answered and permitted him to enter Prince Killian's chateau. Robin was one of Killian's closest friends and was always welcome at his home.

"Is the Prince home?"

"Upstairs, sir. But, uh, he has company."

"Is it female company, Foster?"

"Yes, the Countess Milah."

"Well, they need to be interrupted. The king is asking for his presence."

The butler nodded his head and permitted Robin to walk up the stairs. If it were anyone else but King Richard, he wouldn't have allowed his employer to be disturbed. Robin walked up the stairs and wrapped his knuckles on the door of the Prince's sitting room. He heard a muffled curse and the door flew open.

"Robin! What are you doing here, old man? My butler did tell you I was entertaining… privately." Killian asked with one eyebrow cocked.

He was romancing his mistress and did not appreciate the interruption.

"I wouldn't have disrupted you for the world but the king demands your presence," Robin said. "Hello, Countess. It's always lovely to see you."

Countess Milah was lounging on the settee in front of the fireplace. There was a bottle of champagne chilling in a silver ice bucket with a tray of chocolate covered strawberries next to it. It looked like Killian had a very romantic afternoon planned with his mistress.

"Hello, Robin. It is rather poor timing, isn't it?" Milah put her champagne glass down with a sigh and reached to get her cloak. "But you mustn't delay your meeting with the king."

Killian helped her on with her cloak. "Maybe we can reschedule some other time, love." Killian looked longingly at his long time mistress.

"Yes." She whispered, "I'll come back tonight after the party."

"I'll look forward to tonight," Killian said kissing the back of her hand. He escorted her down the steps and out of the house to her carriage.

Robin made himself at home with a glass of champagne and a chocolate strawberry while he waited for Killian to come back.

"So what does the king want?" Killian asked walking to his dressing room to get himself ready to see the king. He straightened his cravat and put on his brown coat.

"I have no idea. The man is an enigma," Robin remarked.

"Well, we shouldn't keep my father waiting. Let's go."

 

He was waiting for the time when his father would ask him to sit down and have a chat about his future. His prospects to become King and eventually choose or have someone chosen for him, a bride to be Queen and rule at his side.

It was a sad time for the kingdom. Killian's brother, Crown Prince Liam, died during a storm that sunk his ship. Liam was always drawn to the sea and wanted to spend as much time sailing the open seas before he took over his official duties as Crown Prince. Killian had accompanied him many times on diplomatic missions to other countries. The sea was in Killian's blood as well. The king ordered Killian to entertain some emissaries at the castle while Liam went on his last trip. When they heard about what happened to Liam, Killian went out on his own vessel to make sure Liam was alive and shipwrecked on a deserted island somewhere. He didn't want to accept that his beloved brother was dead. His hopes were dashed when he found Liam's dead body washed up ashore. At least he would be able to give his brother a proper royal funeral.

The king had been in mourning for a few months and had not discussed with Killian taking over his brother's duties as Crown Prince. He would be king of Alleland one day. The king decided that today was the day to tell Killian he needed to ready himself for the responsibilities of the kingdom.

Prince Killian was announced as he walked into court and performed a deep bow before the king. He steeled himself for the news that he would take over his brother's place as crown prince of the kingdom.

"My dear son, let us sit in the drawing room so we can have a private chat," the King said as he held out his hand to welcome his son into the other room.

They sat down at a table to talk. One of the pages brought a rolling tray with some spirits and some glasses.

"I found the fine rum that you like so much," the king remarked.

Killian frowned as he watched the page pour two glasses of the rum. "You don't usually take rum, father."

"I don't but I felt this was appropriate. It's time you start taking over the responsibilities of the Crown Prince of the kingdom."

"Well, I predicted this conversation were to happen some time," Killian replied.

"I know as the younger son you were spared the pressures that Liam had to put up with and I let you have more freedom to enjoy yourself than he did. That life, my boy, unfortunately comes to an end. You need to start acting in an appropriate manner befitting your station so no more drunken roués or wild nights with your friends."

"Well, I am glad I got to enjoy those pleasures when I had the chance. But regardless, I take my duty seriously and will put my heart and soul into managing the kingdom. If it means putting away my wild behavior for good then so be it."

"That is what I like to hear. For your first royal task, you are going on a trip within the week to Raratonga," his lips formed a thin line.

"Raratonga? What would I possibly do there?" Killian asked. Raratonga was mostly an uncivilized place with few cosmopolitan cities that would take three months to get to.

"To pick up your betrothed," he said matter of factly.

Killian was stunned. His father was never one to joke around or to mince words. He was never officially betrothed to anyone. His father always told him he would wait to arrange his marriage until a matter came up where it would benefit him and the kingdom the most. That matter had not come up until apparently today.

"Raratonga is barely settled. They have no royalty and they do not recognize our laws. Who would you make me marry there?"

"Your brother was betrothed at a young age to the Princess Emma of Storybrooke and since he died you need to take over his responsibility which includes honoring the betrothal contract. I would have sent him after his last journey but…" the king's eyes turned sad at this last statement. He loved both his sons dearly and he always regretted that his royal duties took him away from them when they were growing up.

"But Storybrooke is no longer. The Evil Queen destroyed the kingdom and drove the people out. The king and queen were thrown into a portal which is impossible to return from and everyone believes the princess was killed by the Evil Queen," Killian said disbelievingly.

The upheaval of a whole kingdom happened fifteen years ago when the Evil Queen who had a vendetta against Queen Snow White had stormed the castle. King Richard happened to be visiting at the time arranging the terms of the betrothal. He had been friends with Queen Snow White and the Prince Consort David since he helped harbor them when the Evil Queen chased them away from their kingdom the first time. He had helped save the princess from an untimely death and put her in the hands of loyal followers. He made sure to send her with a fortune so she can be raised in the style accustomed to her station.

"The princess should still be alive. I was one of a few people that helped smuggle her out of the country. She will reach her eighteenth birthday in four months when she will be of marriageable age. It has been fifteen years since the Evil Queen has been seen. It is believed that she has been imprisoned by the Dark One. It should be safe for Princess Emma to come to our kingdom. You will find the princess and honor the betrothal contract especially since the contract specifically states a marriage will occur between the Crown Prince of Alleland and the Crown Princess of Storybrooke," the king spoke. The king spoke in a tone that brooks no arguments.

"So how do I find this princess?" Killian resigned himself to his fate. He always knew that he would be betrothed one day. It was still a bit of a shock.

"I received word after the princess was safely hidden that she was in Raratonga of all places raised by the Lady Ingrid. Despite what you have heard about the place, there are some civilized areas and most likely you will find her there. She would be raised as a princess and living the life of luxury," the king said.

"Father, people believe the princess is dead, her parents long gone and her kingdom decimated. Why don't we let her be?" Killian asked.

The king's complexion changed from his normal color to a blotchy red which meant he was getting angry.

"Because I made a promise to her parents in front of many nobles of other kingdoms and you will honor that promise. What happened to her and her family was horrible and I will not be responsible for taking anything more away from her. She is a special child, Killian. So if the maggoty reason you have in your head for not honoring her has to do with the Countess Milah, then put it aside this instant!" the king thundered.

Killian had the sense to look abashed. "You know of Milah?" Killian questioned.

"Yes! You are the crown prince now! How could you bed a married woman and one who has been known to spread her legs in exchange for riches and prestige?"

It rankled Killian what his father thought of his mistress. His father's anger made him feel his poor choice in mistress reflected his own poor character.

"So be it. I will set sail in three days, bring the Princess Emma back and marry her." When Killian said those words in that tone, it meant he was going to do it for honor was very important to him. He was bound to fulfill the terms of the betrothal contract and maintain the honor of his family. As the younger prince, he was not given as much responsibility as his older brother had been given therefore was used to doing what he wished. He now had the chance to prove he would take his duty seriously and succeed.

 

Once the king dismissed Killian, Killian stormed out of the room to his wing of the palace. He burst through the doors when he saw Robin lounging in the chair having a drink in his sitting room.

"I've been betrothed!" Killian spouted. Killian went directly to the sideboard where a variety spirits were kept on hand. He poured himself a liberal amount of rum into his tumbler and downed it in the blink of an eye. Then poured some more.

Robin looked at Killian and remarked, "Congratulations! Well, you're the crown prince now. It was a matter of time before you would get married. When will we be leaving to pick up the lucky bride?"

"In three days. We? Thanks for volunteering for this trip. But I thought you were more of a landlubber?"

"I think I need to get out of the country for a while. My many mistresses are beginning to suspect there are other mistresses."

"Well, my mistress will not be happy to hear that I will be marrying soon." Killian wasn't looking forward to telling Milah the news. She had a bit of a temper and if throwing tantrums wouldn't get her way then she would resort to tears.

"You can always mollify her with some very expensive jewels. So where are we going?"

Killian felt bothered by what his best friend said. Since he was a teenager, he had women throwing themselves at him. He always felt it was because he was a prince. Being the mistress of a prince is a very highly coveted position at court. To be the mistress of a king was to hold the most envious position of all. Killian always felt he would not be able to find a woman to love him for himself. Of course, most of these women threw themselves at him because of his good looks but he was always insecure about himself. He resolved his feelings by figuring everyone in the world uses one another so he might as well enjoy the attention. His princely station came with many responsibilities; he might as well enjoy the perks. He enjoyed women as they came across him and Milah was the most beautiful one of them all. She thus far had held his attention for far longer than most other women. Most likely it was because she had many exceptional skills in bed. The fact that she was married was icing on the cake. He could enjoy this relationship without feeling the pressure to commit.

"It'll be a long trip. Just prepare for a three month voyage."

Duke Will Scarlet came in just then and said, "Bloody hell! Three month voyage? Where the hell are we going?"

Robin and Killian turned towards him and welcomed their other closest friend to a drink while Killian filled them in on the story of his betrothed. Killian, Robin and Will had been inseparable since they were children. They were schooled and brought up together. They had formed a strong, close bond throughout their lives and Killian would trust these two with his life and the same went for Robin and Will.


	2. Chapter 2

Three months later….

Killian was stressed and exasperated. They had thought it would be an easy task to locate Lady Ingrid, collect the princess and bring her home. King Richard had a name of the friend of Lady Ingrid that was supposed to know her whereabouts but unfortunately when Killian and his friends went around the city of Remie to inquire about this person he found out she had passed away three years ago and her husband followed her shortly. No one in the city had heard of the Lady Ingrid or the baby. A week was spent making inquiries all over the city until they were able to locate a servant that lived in a small town twenty miles outside of the city.

The servant recalled the lady and the toddler but they had only stayed two days. The lady had contracted some illness on the journey to Raratonga.

"She started to hallucinate and one night woke up from some feverish dream. She feared that some evil Queen was following them and determined to kill Baby Emma so she packed up her stuff and left," the servant said. "My employer could not change her mind. She was determined to leave. She was found on the northwest corner of a crossroads a week later with a small marker for a grave and no sign of the baby. At least that is what the woman named Mrs. Swan said who reported the remains to the authorities."

At least Killian had another name to track. "Do you know where I may find this Swan woman?"

"She said she was from Rensellaer, a town ten miles north of here," the servant replied.

Killian and his friends thanked the servant for her help and they set out towards the crossroads where the body of Lady Ingrid was found. He hired some workmen to dig and search for any signs of a baby buried in the same vicinity. When he was satisfied with the extensive search that there were no remains to be found, Killian was slightly relieved. He figured since the Lady Ingrid was traveling with a fortune she would have been robbed and left for dead. Whoever took the fortune could have absconded with the baby as well. It is possible that the baby princess was still alive.

They ended up at the tavern where Killian was ready to pull his hair out in frustration. He worried if he wasn't able to find the Princess Emma then he would fail at his first duty as Crown Prince of his country. If he failed at his first mission then what would the rest of his reign look like? He would also loathe telling his father because his father would feel responsible for what happened to the baby princess even though he wasn't privy to all the details. The need for secrecy was important but to send the baby off with only one caretaker and to have that caretaker perish was unthinkable. She was supposed to be raised as a princess and rule a kingdom one day.

The tavern, according to the owner of the hotel they were staying at, had boasted of a woman that could dance and sing. Apparently it was a very popular (and very erotic) performance. Will was excited to see the performance. He had not been with a woman since they left Alleland and he had heard that for twenty gold coins the dancer, Delilah was her name, could warm your bed. He wanted to see if Delilah would be worth those gold coins.

Killian hadn't expected much in the way of entertainment considering he was in the backwoods area of a country. As the performance started, the dancer started to sing a song about inducing her lover to stay with her and to describe all the things she would do to him if he did. As she sang, she undulated and swayed in an erotic manner to the beat of the song and rolled her hips when the song described rather bawdy imagery. Her voice was beautiful, delicate and soft. Her makeup was extreme. It was shaded and painted to accentuate her features. To make her lips bigger, her eyes bigger and her cheekbones higher. She was wearing a huge wig with big curls. The effect was to make her look like a living doll. It was hard to tell what she actually looked like under all that. Regardless, she had a fantastic body. As she moved her hands over her body, you can see the finely sculpted muscles on her arms, the delicate roundness of her bosom and the perfectly pert curves of her ass. Killian was mesmerized as were all the other men in the room.

His eyes wandered all over her body and he was enthralled by the delicate movements as she swayed to her song. The material of her costume was rather gauzy but not see-through. It consisted of a top that was cut low and kept her arms bare and a skirt that consisted of many scarves bound together and hanging down from her waist to graze the ground. Each time she lifted her arms a portion of skin on her navel would be exposed to view and sometimes when she moved a portion of leg would be revealed. The effect was to tease and to entice, not to bare and expose. It was rather chaste considering she was whore that could be had for twenty gold coins. For Killian, that amount was a pittance. He needed a diversion for the moment to chase away the worries he had and he needed to relieve the ache in his pants. He saw that Will was ready to reach into his pocket to count out the gold coins to purchase the girl's time for himself.

Killian leaned towards Will and whispered, "You'll have to find another woman to spend the evening with. That woman is mine."

"Oh come on Killian. Three months on a bleeding ship. This is the best prospect I've had this whole trip," Will pleaded.

Fortunately, royalty had its privileges. "Sorry Will but I am your prince and I say the girl is mine."

Robin was entertained at the thought of his two friends getting into a minor row over a hooker.

As soon as the dance ended, Killian got up to speak to the performer but was met with a rather big, muscular brute guarding the entrance to the backstage area. Killian spent twenty minutes trying to charm and bribe his way past the brute. They finally came to an amount that was agreeable and Killian made his way to the back area. He knocked on the door to one of the rooms. The door flew open and was answered by a rather severe looking young lady wearing some drab attire.

Her blonde hair which was a rather lovely golden color was pulled back into a tight chignon. Her face was rather sallow and harsh looking. There were dark circles under her eyes and her cheeks looked haggard & work worn.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I came to see if I could speak with the dancer Delilah," Killian said while his eyes darted around the room behind the girl.

"Well, she is not here. What do you want with her?"

"I heard that she can be persuaded to spend her time with some of the patrons. I'm here to see if she wants to get something in exchange for it."

"So you want to purchase a whore for the evening," the severe woman stated plainly.

Killian was amused at her blatant manner. "To put it crudely, then yes."

"She should be at home now," which was true, the dancer Delilah would be at home.

Killian took a step back and observed the young lady in front of him. She was the right height of the dancer but considering the looseness and thickness of her clothes you couldn't tell if there was a slender, magnificent body hiding under there.

"What a shame. So what are you doing back here? Are you another performer?" Killian asked to buy some time to figure out if the girl he was speaking to was really the dancer he saw perform. He was strangely drawn to the woman he saw on stage and wasn't going to give up the chance for an evening with her.

The gaunt-looking girl rolled her eyes and said, "Listen, pal. Like I said Delilah isn't here so you'll just have to do without tonight. I need to start my shift as a barmaid right now so if you don't mind, I'll be going." She briskly stepped past him and went into the main room.

Killian smiled. The woman was rather cheeky and he was intrigued. Most women were fascinated by his good looks. They tried to get closer to him, not walk away. He followed her with his eyes until he heard someone come up behind him.

"Excuse me. Can I do something for you mister?" a man stepped out of the shadows to confront Killian ready to throw him out for being backstage.

"Are you the proprietor of this establishment?"

"Yes I am."

"I was wondering if you knew a Mrs. Swan that would have lived around these parts fifteen years ago."

"Why yes. She was my wife but she passed away five years ago. I am Mr. Swan. What could you possibly want with her?"

"I'm sorry to hear that. Fifteen years ago, did your wife come across a woman with a baby? The baby would have been almost three years old. The woman died and was buried at a crossroads but no one ever found the baby."

"What would you want to know about a baby? You are kind of young to be a father aren't you?"

Killian was getting sick and tired of everyone asking why he would want to know stuff.

"Just answer the question, sir. There was a woman who was buried in a shallow grave whose death was suspicious and a missing baby. Your wife happened to report the woman's death."

"There was a baby that my wife wanted to keep but the baby died."

"Died? How did the baby die?"

"My wife told me she found the woman gone with fever and tried to help her. The baby probably caught the fever too."

"When did the baby die?"

"A few days."

"How many is a few days?"

"Maybe two days. I don't remember. It was quite some time ago." Mr. Swan started getting flustered.

"Where did you bury the baby?"

"What does it matter where I buried her?"

"Her or him?"

"Her. But what does it matter now? She is dead."

"Because I require proof. You need to lead me to her grave."

"What makes you think I'll do anything for you?"

Killian finally reached his breaking point. He pushed Mr. Swan against a wall and spoke in a tight controlled whisper in his ear, "The woman traveled with a fortune and that fortune disappeared along with the baby. There is no statute of limitations for murder in your country. I can have the authorities here by tomorrow."

"Listen, there's no need to be rough. I buried the baby in a shallow grave in the back field with no marker. It's been fifteen years and I can't remember where the grave was."

"Can you at least point me in the general area while I hire some men to excavate the area?"

"Now look here. You can't just dig holes on my property."

"Why? What are you trying to hide Mr. Swan?"

"Nothing. Fine! You may search the property. Just don't make too much of a mess." With that, Mr. Swan turned to walk away.


	3. Chapter 3

Killian sat down with his friends, Will and Scarlet. Will asked him if he was able to procure the charms of the dancer for the evening. Killian scowled and looked around for the barmaid that he met backstage.

From look at Killian's expression, Will had his answer. "So it looks like we'll both be celibate for the night," Will said with a sigh.

"I wasn't able to find her but I found more information on the princess," Killian replied. He proceeded to recount the story Mr. Swan told him.

"So if the man is to be believed then the baby is dead. But if the man is not telling the truth, where do we go from there?" Robin questioned.

"We'll take it one day at a time. There's not much we can do tonight but try to make most of the rest of the evening," Killian spoke in a tired voice.

Killian eyes followed the harried looking barmaid with interest. Even though the barmaid wasn't as beautiful as his tastes in women usually ran, he couldn't help but be drawn to her. Her movements were graceful and fluid much like the dancer's movements when she performed on stage.

The barmaid then approached Killian's table. "What else can I get you boys?"

Killian pulled out a chair, "How about the pleasure of your company?"

The barmaid blinked in surprise. "I'm busy," she replied.

Killian looked around, "The place is going to be empty soon. Why not relax? You look like you could use some rest."

Will and Robin gave him a curious glance. This woman wasn't his usual type. His usual type was gorgeous and vivacious, not this rumpled, tired-looking girl with deep shadows and lines around her face.

The barmaid gave him a shrewd look, "Listen, mister. Whatever joke you think you're playing, you can just quit it. I'm not in the mood. If there will be nothing else then I'm going."

Killian smiled. "I'm not playing a joke, love. But where are my manners? I haven't properly introduced myself. My name is Killian Jones. These are my friends, Robin Loxley and Will Scarlet. At you service, mistress," Killian Jones bowed his head as did the other two.

"I can't say it has been a pleasure so if there is nothing any of you want to order then I'll be taking my leave," the barmaid said resolutely.

Killian grabbed her hand, "But you haven't told us your name, mistress."

"And there is no need for you to know it. You three look like you won't be staying around town much longer anyway," the barmaid took her hand back and turned to walk away.

"We'll have another round of pints, love," Killian added cheekily.

"Coming right up, sir," and then she hastened away.

Will Scarlet whispered, "Really, Killian? Are you that hard up that any woman will do?"

"I don't think she is just any woman. I suspect she is the dancer we've been enthralled by," Killian informed.

"You don't say? It's hard to tell under those mannish clothes, heh?" Will turned around again to look. "Well, she's not much to look at, is she?"

Killian gave Will a sharp look. He was offended on behalf of the girl. Will shrugged.

Robin remarked, "You have the sensitivity of a buffoon."


	4. Chapter 4

"Emma," Mr. Swan whispered in an urgent voice.

"Yes, father?" Emma was at the tap behind the bar filling up mugs of ale to bring to the dark haired handsome man and his two friends.

"Those men sitting there," he gestured to Killian and his friends. "What did they want with you?"

"To serve them some ale. They are at a tavern after all," Emma replied.

"Did you tell them your name?" he whispered quickly.

"They asked but no. Who are they?" Emma inquired.

"Good. As soon as you finish serving them, tell them the tavern will be closing soon. Don't share any information about yourself to them, not your name, not anything. Ya hear, girl!"

"Sure, father," Emma acquiesced.

Emma carried the tray of mugs to the three men. As she approached them she could sense the dark haired handsome one's eyes on her and it made her very nervous yet strangely excited. The other two men were handsome in their own way but didn't affect her the way he did.

He surprised her when he asked her for her company. Men didn't usually make advances on her especially the way she was dressed and what she looked like. He probably wanted some information but she didn't think she had any important information to provide since not a lot happened recently. The tavern was in a small town that most people just passed through to rest between cities. Most of the surrounding areas were wild and unsettled. It was the perfect area for bandits to roam so the community organized watches to patrol the area for highwaymen.

Emma put down the mugs at the table and collected the tab.

"So you still haven't told me your name," Killian looked up at her and grinned.

Emma's heart skipped a beat when she looked at his smile. She remembered what her father told her. It was a rather strange request not to share her name.

"Well, it's not Delilah. In any case, the tavern will be closing as soon as you finish up. Have a good evening, gentlemen," she said with a small curtsy and scampered off.

It took awhile but the three gentlemen finished their conversation and drinks. As they departed, she saw Killian look back at her. Their eyes met and she felt a sudden static energy pass between them. It was rather unnerving. She didn't realize she was holding her breath until she saw the door close behind him.

She remembered when she encountered him in the back dressing room area. Hearing the knock on the door to find a devastatingly handsome man on the other side jolted her senses. His presence alarmed her and she just wanted to get away as fast as she could to recover her senses. She had known other men to use their looks to lure women to their beds and when they finished with them, they left. She assumed he would be the same way too.

She tried to take her mind off him by going back to work to finish cleaning up and putting everything away. She went up the stairs to her room and sat down in front of her mirror. She looked at her face and started taking off her makeup. She had learned from the other dancers how to make and use powders and creams to disguise herself or to enhance her beauty.

In Emma's case, she used makeup to hide her beauty. When she started working at her father's tavern at fifteen years old, she realized her looks brought her unwanted attentions from the more lascivious patrons.

Once during closing time, a drunken man manhandled and tried to force his attentions on her. Thank goodness some of the townsmen from the watch was there to rescue her from the inebriated lout before anything happened and threw him in jail. The men from the watch were decent and the thought of rape turned their stomachs, especially a fifteen year old girl.

She decided she needed to disguise her looks so no one would bother her. Little by little she would experiment with makeup to gradually change her looks. Eventually she perfected the art of using shading to create the effect of a tired looking old hag within a few minutes. Finding one of her father's old shirts and some drab skirts, she hid her slender body from the eyes of vulgar customers. She also kept a dagger in her boot at all times. It came in handy many times when patrons invaded her personal space. The regular patrons knew not to bother her in that way.

When Mr. Swan decided to lure competition from the other bars in the area, he employed some dancers and singers to bring in more business. The current dancer was Delilah. Delilah would come in three times a week to do her performance and sometimes earned a little extra money on the side by spending a few hours of her time in bed with a man that could pay her fee. Tonight Delilah was sick in bed with the flu. She taught Emma her routine so that if she wasn't able to make it, Emma would take over and she wouldn't run the risk of being fired. Emma didn't really like dancing and singing for the crowd. She didn't like the idea that the patrons of the tavern would think she wanted to attract sexual attention. She was relieved when Delilah started using heavy makeup during her performances. Emma could disguise herself and take Delilah's place without anyone being the wiser.

Emma pulled the pins out of her hair and let it cascade down her back. She put on her nightgown on and crawled into bed. She began to get bombarded of images of the handsome blue-eyed gentleman as soon as she lay down. She first spotted him when she was on stage and noted how handsome he was. She resigned herself to thinking he and his friends were just passing through and she probably would never set eyes on him again. She remembered that he tried to procure a whore for the evening. He must have been disappointed to hear that the person he thought was the dancer was not there.

"Humph, the man had to pay for sex," she said out loud to no one. Little did he know, it was really Emma dancing on that stage. A myriad of thoughts swirled through her mind. She felt a strange satisfaction that he went to search her out. She even found out he bribed Brutus the bouncer to get to the back stage area. She also wondered why a man as handsome as that would need to buy a whore for the evening. Maybe it wasn't for sex but something else. It was a long time before slumber overtook her.


	5. Chapter 5

Emma woke up the next morning early so she could set up the tavern for the evening.

Her father came in to find her. "Listen, Emma. You'll need to leave for a few days. Those strange men that came in yesterday are up to no good."

"Who are those men?" "It doesn't matter to you who they are, you silly cow. You are to head to the cabin on the ridge for a few days until I send word to you that they are gone," he ordered.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on," Emma stood firm.

"You stupid, silly twit!" he blasted. "I should tan your hide!"

"Remember what happened the last time you tried to raise your hand to me," Emma countered. Mr. Swan's eyes went wide.

From an early age, Emma had to put up with the physical abuse her father doled out. She remembered watching helplessly while her mother was beaten whenever her father felt stressed out or had too much to drink. She decided when she was strong enough that she was going to fight back and learned from some of the town boys how to street fight. She threw a mean right hook. The last time her father threatened her was four years ago and she managed to break her father's nose and knock him out. Ever since, her father kept his distance from her. She would have made her mother proud. God rest her soul.

"Fine, they…uh….I heard uh… they were slave traders… human traffickers. They steal young women and sell them to the highest bidder."

"Those bastards! The dark-haired one asked for Delilah. He might try to take her. You need to call the authorities!" Emma yelled.

"Well, it's only a rumor but I wanted to make sure that you would be safe so you need to leave before they come back."

"How do you know they are coming back?" Emma asked. She was suspicious. She sensed that something was wrong and that her father was lying about something. Sometimes she wondered if she was some kind of human lie detector.

"Do you really want to take a chance that they might kidnap you and sell you off to become some prostitute somewhere? Just leave for a few days and then come back," Mr. Swan looked at her imploringly.

"Okay, fine. I'll leave within the hour," Emma replied.

Emma sensed her father was up to something but wasn't sure what.

* * *

 

The pounding on the door was ceaseless. As soon as Mr. Swan opened the door, the three men walked in. Their presence was so intimidating; Mr. Swan had to step back.

"I'm here to continue our conversation last night, Mr. Swan. My name is Killian Jones and these are my associates, Robin Loxley and Will Scarlet. You were going to point us in the direction of the baby you buried fifteen years ago."

"Before I tell you anything, you need to tell me why you are looking. You mentioned something about a fortune. The fortune is gone. The fancy lady traveled with nothing valuable on her," Mr. Swan said.

"The fortune doesn't matter. What matters is the baby," Killian said.

Mr. Swan's eyes narrowed. "And what is the baby to you?" Mr. Swan asked.

"The deceased lady was charged with taking care of the baby but was lost to her friends. I have taken up the responsibility to find out what happened to the baby," Killian said solemnly.

"So you are doing this out of the goodness of your heart then?" Mr. Swan's look was doubtful.

"Something like that," Killian replied coolly.

"Yes, well….fine. I'll show you," Mr. Swan sputtered. He walked out of the tavern and went about forty yards to the back field and he looked around.

"Somewhere in this vicinity, I think," Mr. Swan said unsure.

"You think?" Robin asked with contempt in his voice. "How can you not be sure where you buried a baby?"

They looked around seeing a wide expanse of grassy field. To dig around would take days.

"I didn't have a shovel so you make do with a rock around these parts. Besides, the remains may have been taken by some wild animal," Mr. Swan replied.

"Rather unfeeling of you, isn't it?" Will snarled. "Not to give another human a proper burial?"

"She tweren't with us for long. It wasn't mine so what did it matter?" Mr. Swan's face was getting red by the second. "It was a baby my wife found on the road coming back from visiting her relatives. Tweren't my responsibility. If you have no further questions, I'm going!" Mr. Swan stalked off.

"So now what do we do?" Will asked of Killian.

"Robin, you hire some men to do some digging. Will, you ask around town if anyone knew about a baby Mrs. Swan brought home fifteen years ago. I'll stay and keep an eye on Mr. Swan. I have a feeling he isn't being truthful with us, " Killian said staring at Mr. Swan's retreating figure.

* * *

 

Emma watched from the window of a neighbor's house as her father spoke to the gentlemen and walked towards the back field of the tavern with the gentlemen following. She had not gone to the cabin when her father asked her to go. She always knew when her father was up to no good and she wanted to find out what was going on. She asked a neighbor if she could stay with them for a few days.

When her mother died five years ago, Emma was devastated. Her mother was the only person that truly cared for her. She knew the woman was not her biological mother and was told the story of how she was found on the side of the road next to a woman who could have been her biological mother. Mrs. Swan tried to have children but couldn't conceive so she took Emma in as her own daughter. Mr. Swan was disgruntled when his wife took Emma that he had another mouth to feed but began to see her use in taking care of the tavern when she got older.

Whenever her father would go on a rampage, her mother and Emma would sometimes go the neighbor's house to hide. Sometimes the men from the watch would step in to halt any beatings but they couldn't be there all the time. Whenever Mr. Swan was thrown in jail, it left Emma and her mother defenseless which was a problem when they managed the tavern. They could never manage it for long without a male presence. Mr. Swan would always come home and apologize for his behavior. The place would be at peace for a while but then something always happened to get him into a rage.

When Emma's mother died, she considered running away but she didn't have any connections outside of town that could help her. The only option was to stay and help her father run the tavern. Hopefully when he passed, she could sell the tavern to buy a plot of land and house to live. Or maybe even run the tavern if she could pay some men to help her run it. Maybe even marry someone to help her. She was always unsure of marriage to anyone because it would mean putting herself under someone's thumb and she didn't want that.

Emma was always scared that her father would sell the tavern even though he always assured her that the tavern would be hers one day. He always said he counted on her to take care of him in his old age. She could never trust him which was why she stayed in town to spy from the neighbor's house.


	6. Chapter 6

Killian sat in the tavern waiting for his two friends to come join him. Robin came in and reported that no remains had been found yet. Killian noticed the barmaid that was serving yesterday was not in yet. He felt surprised that he was disappointed to not see her. There had been no performance scheduled for that evening so maybe that was why she was not in. He still fully suspected that the dancer and the barmaid were one and the same. They both moved with a grace and energy that was similar.

They were being served by another barmaid that kept giving Killian flirtatious looks. When she put the drinks down, she rubbed her bosom on Killian's shoulder and asked in a very suggestive tone, "Will there be anything else, sir?"

Killian tossed the money on the tray and said, "That'll be all for now, thank you."

With a sigh of disappointment, she turned around and went back to the bar.

They both spotted Will coming in and flagged him down.

"We weren't sure when you'd come in but we ordered a pint for you anyway," Killian informed.

"Thanks, mate. You're going to be interested in the news I've heard," Will sat down and lifted his mug to take a hearty gulp of his ale. "Mr. Swan has a daughter that Mrs. Swan found on the road fifteen years ago. Her name is Emma and she works at this very tavern."

"Bloody hell!" Robin exclaimed. Killian and Robin both straightened up in the chairs. "So she is still alive."

"Mr. Swan lacks for a brain if he thinks this information wouldn't be easily obtained if we asked around," Killian stated.

"So if she works in the tavern then she could be here now," Will announced.

They all started looking around the tavern. They all being of one mind got up to take action. Killian and Robin went to talk to some of the patrons to ask if they had seen Emma today. Will sidled up to the bar to enquire if the barmaid's name was Emma.

They all came to the same conclusion. Emma was not there but she was the only barmaid serving yesterday.

They all met back at the table. Robin cursed under his breath and said, "If the barmaid was Emma who is the princess we have been looking for and you mentioned she might have been the dancer, then I hate to point this out but Will heard her company could be purchased for twenty gold coins."

Killian scowled. "I'm not completely sure if she was the dancer. In any case, once we obtain her, we can make sure she is properly chaperoned during the voyage back to make sure she is not with child. Questions of royal issue will not be challenged."

Will patted Killian on the shoulder, "Sorry if I said she looked rather long in the tooth yesterday. I'm sure once she gets plenty of rest, she'll look better."

Killian rolled his eyes. Robin and Will shared a look. Arranged marriages were a common tradition at the royal court. Not everyone could expect to find their future spouses attractive or to get along with them but this was completely unexpected. To think that a future Queen could have been raised in a tavern and possibly have been a prostitute was beyond unsuitable. Killian didn't want to think how his father, the king, would take the news.

"We need to find out where she is," Killian said. "I doubt Mr. Swan would be of service to us. He probably just uses her for free labor to run this tavern and is not likely to let her go."

He saw Mr. Swan standing behind the bar, wiping some glasses and keeping an eye on them.

"If she is not down here currently serving then she must be somewhere on the premises," Killian surmised. "Robin, you distract Mr. Swan. Will, you keep a look out while I go upstairs and search the premises."

Robin got up to start a commotion by tripping an inebriated customer who tipped over a table which started a fistfight between some of the men. While everyone's attention was turned and the bouncer that guarded the entrance to both the backstage area and the upstairs left his station to take care of the disturbance, both Killian and Will passed upstairs. Will stood guard while Killian searched the rooms. He found most of the rooms empty. He came to a room that looked a bit more feminine and assumed it was Emma's room. As he looked through a chest, he found an old baby blanket with the name Emma embroidered on it and some old baby clothes with what looked like expensive lace. He looked at her vanity and found various small pots with several shades of gray powder in it and some beige creams. He wasn't sure if it was makeup or for painting on canvas.

"Killian?" Will whispered. "Find anything?"

"She's not here. Let's go." Killian's eyes swept across the room and then he turned to leave.

Killian and Will went back into the main room of the tavern and gave the signal to Robin to join them outside.

"Mr. Swan probably told her to leave. We'll halt digging in the back field and stay low until she shows up then we'll nab her and get out of here," Killian ordered.


	7. Chapter 7

It took a couple of days until Killian spotted the barmaid he met the first night walk into the tavern in the mid-afternoon. They had been lying in wait across the street until she showed up. They all made their way to the tavern to question the barmaid.

As they came to the door, he heard Mr. Swan talking to her.

"What are you doing here girl? You were supposed to wait until I gave you word to come home," Mr. Swan exclaimed

"I got sick of waiting," Emma said.

The door to the tavern burst open. Killian and his two friends entered.

"Miss Emma Swan?" Killian asked.

"Yes?" Emma replied. Mr. Swan flinched looking as if he wished Emma didn't answer to her name.

"I'd like to have a conversation with you in private," Killian asked.

Robin and Will made a move to escort Mr. Swan out of the room.

"Now see here Mr. Jones, I won't leave you alone with my daughter," Mr. Swan said as he fought the hands of Will and Robin who was proceeding to take both arms and lift him out of the room.

"The one you told me you buried in the back field?" Killian replied to him coldly. Mr. Swan continued to make sounds of protest as he was taken away by the two men.

Killian looked at Emma. She looked like the same haggard-looking barmaid with gray skin and oversized clothing. Her manner was alarmed and her body was taut and poised to bolt.

"Why don't we have a seat?" Killian gestured to the chairs at the table.

"No, thanks. I'd rather stand," Emma said tightly with her arms crossed in front of her.

"Fine, I'll sit then," Killian sat in the chair in front of her. He could see she was weary of him so he wanted to make her feel at ease. "I am here to track down a woman who was found on the side of the road fifteen years ago. She was traveling with a baby who was almost three years old. A Mrs. Swan found her and tried to help her. She died anyway and left her baby in Mrs. Swan's hands. When Mrs. Swan buried her and reported the death, she took the baby to live with her. Does this story sound familiar?"

"Yes. That baby was me."

"So you know your parents are not biological?"

"I know they are not. Are you telling me you know who my real parents are?" Emma asked.

"Possibly. If you are who I think you are you should have a birthmark on your left wrist in the shape of a flower," Killian replied.

"I always thought it looked like a buttercup but you could have seen that at any time when I was serving," Emma said.

"Not when your cuff covers your wrist. Can I see it please?"

Emma rolled up her sleeve and showed Killian the birthmark.

"I have another question. Does anything strange happen when you are feeling extreme emotion? Fear? Anger?"

Emma looked uncomfortable at that question. "What do you mean strange?"

"Does anything ever happen that you can't explain? Like magic?"

Killian observed the change in her body language and there was a brief expression of panic cross her face.

Emma swallowed hard. "Of course not. There's no such thing as magic."

Despite her denial, her body stiffened. He realized his question hit a nerve.

"You are an open book, love. I mentioned the word magic and you look like you are wound tighter than a spring."

Emma let out a nervous laugh. "Maybe there have been some unexplained things."

"Then you are who I think you are," Killian remarked.

"And who do you think I am?" Emma questioned. Emma's voice tried to sound nonchalant but a little tremor belied her excitement.

"You are the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming and you are to marry the Crown Prince of Alleland."

Emma burst out laughing.

Killian let out a deep sigh. Hearing himself say it out loud didn't even sound plausible to his own ears.

"A prince, huh? Are you going to take me away so I can live in the lap of luxury for the rest of my days?" Emma said smiling.

"You will want for nothing and you will accompany us, Princess Emma, to Alleland."

"Were you boys bored one day and decided it would be funny to play an elaborate hoax on some poor unsuspecting girl? Well, you played your joke on the wrong girl," Emma argued.

"It's the truth. Now go upstairs so you can take what ever keepsakes you don't want to leave behind because you won't be coming back."

"Fine. I'll get my things," Emma turned around to go up the stairs.

Killian was uneasy. She accepted this a little too fast. He got up to follow her and saw her start to break into a run towards the door that led outside. She didn't realize that they locked it in case she decided to escape. She gasped when she tried to pull the door open and it wouldn't budge.

Killian's hands came down on the door on either side of her. She turned to face him. She was so close. He hadn't noticed before that her eyes were bluish-green.

"And where may you be going?" he said in a husky voice that caused her to shiver.

"Do you really expect me to believe you? To be believe that I'd marry some prince?"

"I must admit it does sound rather ludicrous at least to you but it is the truth."

"So who is this prince I'm supposed to marry?"

"Why me, of course. Crown Prince Killian, at your service, milady, or should I say, your highness," Killian said with a bow then quickly putting both hands back on either side of her as if he wanted to be as close as he could be to her.

"Of course, you'd be the one out of all of your friends to be the prince. Let me guess since you're the handsomest one, you figure the silly, stupid girls that would swallow your tale would be more willing to go along with your farce."

"You think I'm handsome, love?" he asked with a pleased smirk.

Emma looked like she wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. "I think you're the devil!"

"A rather handsome devil. Our mutual attraction for each other could make for an easier marriage."

"As if this whole thing will end in marriage."

"I wouldn't go to the trouble for just a farce."

"Yes, you'd probably go to the trouble to sell me at some slave auction."

Killian blinked in surprise. "Slave auction? You think I'm here to kidnap you to sell you at a slave auction? That is hardly the case, love. I'm against slavery."

"Just let me go."

"I couldn't do that, love," he said with a whisper. He stared at her then he noticed a light patch of pink skin in the middle her grayish pale face.

He felt like stroking her face as he wondered about that pink skin. He raised his hand to caress her cheek. A look of alarm came over Emma's face. She quickly raised her knee, hit his groin and pushed him away.

She darted across the tavern to the upstairs entrance. When Killian recovered, he ran up the stairs after her into her room. When he saw her starting to climb out the window, he panicked and dove to grab her. She was too quick. She shimmied across the porch roof and down the drain pipe.

Killian yelled for Will and Robin as he raced down the stairs to go outside. Will and Robin followed him and chased after the figure of Emma headed at a break neck speed for the woods.


	8. Chapter 8

For four hours, Emma had been walking through the woods trying to get away from her would-be kidnappers. There had been plenty of times in the past as a little girl when she would escape a beating from her father by crawling out her window and climbing down from the porch roof. It had been an easy feat. She knew the woods like the back of her hand since she spent time hunting, gathering berries, mushrooms and on warm nights sleeping outdoors.

Emma figured it would be best to head to the cabin in the ridge which was used as shelter when she went hunting but she wasn't sure if she would get there before nightfall so she headed in the direction of the river. The shadows started getting longer telling her the sun was going to go down soon. She could sleep in one of the caves nearby then continue her journey to the cabin in the morning.

She heard the snapping of a twigs and footsteps getting nearer. She turned around and saw the three men running towards her. "They must be trackers," she thought.

She started to sprint towards the river.

"Princess! Come back! Emma!" they yelled.

She came to the river which led to a waterfall. She knew that if she were to jump off the ledge into the water, the pool would be deep enough so she didn't worry about hurting herself. She had jumped the ledge plenty of times as a child. She executed a perfect dive and plunged into the water below.

Emma smiled to herself as she swam towards land, perfectly pleased that they wouldn't follow her. "Who would go to the trouble of jumping off a ledge that high when they didn't have to," she thought until she heard a splash of water followed by two more. She looked back and was shocked that they dove in after her. There were other females in the village that would be easier to abduct than her, she thought.

Instead of swimming towards the land, she started swimming so that she could catch the current that would send her farther down the river faster. Of course, there was a chance that the river could grow wild and she would get smashed into a rock or get pulled under by the current and drown but it was chance she would have to take to get away. She felt the pull of the river carry her away. When she felt the current carry her farther enough, she decided to swim to the shoreline. Her muscles were screaming with fatigue and she dragged herself through the mud of the riverbank.

She made it to the grassy bank and fell into a muddy heap. She looked up to see if anyone followed her and was relieved to see that no one did. She checked to make sure her knife was in her boot. When she was finished resting, she walked for a bit until she spotted a perfect place to wash the mud from her clothes and body. It was getting dark but she could still see a small inlet where the water was a lot calmer where she could dunk herself and give herself a short scrub. She decided to take off her skirt and shirt to wash them properly while still being in her shift. When she emerged from the water, she heard the crunch of leaves.

A voice shouted, "What the hell do you think you were doing making a dive like that? You could have been killed!"

In the darkness she recognized a wet, muddy and very irate Killian.

"You weren't supposed to follow me you moron!" Emma yelled as she marched out of the water.

"You're my betrothed! I am responsible for you and to keep you alive!"

"It's all nonsense and you know it!" she yelled while whipping the wet skirt and shirt around to hit him in the face. She turned to run. The force shocked him for a bit until he recovered.

She ran until she was exhausted so she dropped down into a bush where she could hide herself. She felt a hand drag her by the arm out of the bush and spun her around while she screamed. Killian's arms pulled her body to him and he crashed his mouth down into hers. His lips moved over hers with fierce demand. She was stunned. He crushed her body to him with an impassioned embrace. Heat emanated from him in waves through the layers of wet clothing. She felt his erection through his clothes and her shift. She felt a swirl of emotions in her middle which seemed to shoot down to an achy pleasure much lower. The energy she expended running away from him left her weakened and open to his passionate onslaught. It was too much for her and she was too innocent to appreciate it.

They both stiffened when they heard someone clear their throat. They turned to find both Robin and Will tactfully looking upwards as if they had not seen them in a passionate kiss with Emma in only her wet shift.

"Should I start looking for firewood to start a fire since we'll be camping out tonight?," Robin asked holding Emma's clothes that she hit Killian with.

Killian let out a deep sigh and rubbed his head in frustration.

"That's a good idea. It'll be too dark to walk back to town," Killian said. He realized he still had hold of her arms and he quickly let them go. He took a step back from her.

The men escorted Emma back to a clearing near the river and proceeded to make a fire to bunk for the night.


	9. Chapter 9

Emma had slept outside as a child so she was used to awakening to the smells of the river and grass. She had slept in her wet shift while the men slept close to nothing since they had spread their clothes to dry in the grass. She checked on her clothes and was satisfied they were dry enough to wear so she put them on. She heard the other men talk in low tones most likely about what their plans were. She hoped they were dressed and she saw they were.

Robin was sitting on a log brushing some mud off his boots against the grass; Will was counting their money to see if they had enough while Killian was scooping water with his hands to drink from the river.

Her movement had drawn the eyes of Robin and Will. They both stopped what they were doing and stared at her. She wondered why Robin and Will looked at her in amazement. Robin had a big smile creep across his face

She checked to make sure she was covered decently and asked, "What are you two staring at?"

When Killian turned at the sound of her voice and took one look at her, he looked stunned. His breath cut short and his mouth dropped open slightly.

She wasn't usually this dense but she just woke up and was a bit foggy. She realized as her hands flew to her face that most likely her makeup had washed off. Her disguise was gone. She didn't think about it when she climbed out of the river the night before and washed herself because she hadn't expected to meet them again.

They saw a beautiful woman with skin like porcelain and blonde hair glistening in the morning light. Her dark lashes and eyebrows framed her captivating bluish-green eyes, her rosy, apple cheeks were set high on her face, her nose was small, straight, finely shaped and had a slight curve at the tip to keep her face from being haughty. Her chin was stubborn and her lips were lusciously curved. This all made for a beautiful package that no poet could find the words to describe.

"Well it stands to reason she would be a beauty. Wasn't her mother described as the fairest of them all?" Robin said.

"They will come from all over to take a look at her. And to think I felt sorry for…" Will cut himself off before he said anything further.

Killian having recovered from his shock came forth and questioned, "Now why would a woman as beautiful as you go to the trouble of hiding your face."

"Yeah, a woman like her could charge way more than twenty gold coins for a night in her bed," Will said unthinkingly.

"Will!" both Robin and Killian shouted.

Emma's face turned beet red. Where did they come up with that idea? She was a virgin. Just because she was brought up in a tavern didn't mean she was a prostitute. Then she remembered Delilah. She charged twenty gold coins for a night of pleasure. Maybe they figured out it was Emma that was the dancer on stage instead of Delilah.

Emma opened her mouth to dispute the idea that she was Delilah but then she clamped it shut. She remembered a conversation she had overheard one night long ago between two customers. They had talked about how slave traders got more money for virgins instead of loose women.

"I couldn't handle all the men that wanted this face," Emma spat out.

Now this time it was their turn for their faces to turn beet red. Killian hissed an ungentlemanly like curse.

"It's time to go. You'll be leading us back to town, Princess Emma," Killian said tightly.

She went to lead the way and was happy to hear their stomachs grumbling until hers started grumbling too. She found some edible berries and popped them in her mouth to tie her over until she could get back to the tavern for some sustenance.

Along the way, she was wracking her brain trying to think of another way to lose them when she remembered the traps that one of the old gold miners set in the woods to capture wild game. She was careful to avoid the territory that he roamed but now she was going to head straight for it. Hopefully she could find a trap that they could step in while she made a break for it.


	10. Chapter 10

While they walked through the woods, Killian's mind was whirling with a myriad of thoughts. Emma was supposed to be raised to be a princess with a fortune to buy all she ever wanted. She was supposed to already be informed of the betrothal and to await the time when she would be summoned to go back to his kingdom. He was half expecting to find a spoiled brat, not a hard working girl raised in a tavern. He had seen how rough, dry and calloused her hands were when they should have been soft, covered in gloves, shielded from the sun and hard labor. She definitely was no stranger to hard labor. He was outraged on her behalf that circumstances led her to this.

He also wondered about her education. She should have had dozens of tutors at her disposal to teach her to read, write, and mathematics. To learn how to dance, have courtly etiquette and manners, learn about different cultures, all the things that he had access to. Did she have time in her day to learn how to read and write between cleaning, setting up and serving at the bar? An illiterate queen would be the laughingstock of the court. She would have to be educated as much as she could during the voyage back.

When he told her that she was a princess, she had laughed, completely disbelieving of his story. I guess he should have expected it. She was raised in some backwoods town where she only knew what she was exposed to. Anything else would seem rather fanciful. What if he wasn't able to convince her she is the lost princess of Storybrooke? Would he force her to come with him anyway?

He didn't think it was fair of him to just remove her from everything she knew. His conscience troubled him. He examined her life. A young woman raised in a tavern where she probably had to put up with brawls, drunken lechers and men offering money for her services. That last thought made him grind his teeth. What kind of life would that be for a young woman? Wouldn't the life he would provide her be much better or at least much safer? Would she at least see that in time?

Also what were her feelings for her father? Could she bear to leave him to manage a tavern by himself? Mr. Swan definitely depended on her to run the bar. Killian saw that when he observed her working. She could be working herself into an early grave. He was also the type of father that didn't care if his daughter was dancing suggestively in front of a room of drunken men and accepting payment for illicit services. He wanted to throttle the man for not taking better care of his daughter.

Then he remembered when she ran away. He panicked when she dove into the water, half terrified that her neck would be broken or she would drown. He didn't hesitate to jump in after her. Then when he found her, he had a berated her for her foolishness then was so overcome with desire that he kissed her. It bothered him that he couldn't control his emotions where she was concerned. Who knows where that kiss would have led if Robin and Will had not interrupted them.

Then he thought about the next morning when he saw her face for the first time. She was stunning. He should have expected it. The evidence was there on her night stand. All those powders and creams meant to conceal her face. Usually makeup was used to enhance beauty. Was it really to discourage all the men from her? It bothered him to no end the thought of her with other men. He scowled and he caught her looking back at him with a frown on her face. He realized he needed to change his manner and tact.

If he were to win her over, the first step would be to win her trust. He decided to talk to her. Killian then sidled up to her to start a conversation.

"I apologize for what I did last night. The kiss, I mean. It wasn't very gentleman-like and bad form. I hope you forgive me?"

Emma gave him a look, "Nothing I haven't experienced before but you are the first one to apologize."

Killian grimaced at the thought of other men kissing Emma, "Well, at least I can say I stand out."

"Do you still think we are slave traders?" he asked Emma with a devilish gleam in his eyes.

"I think you are all crazy," Emma replied.

Killian grinned. He admired her spirit and outspokenness.

"You probably thought we were crazy for jumping into the water after you but I did it because I take my duty seriously as do Robin and Will," Killian said.

"Your duty? As crown prince of some country?"

"Yes, Alleland. It's a beautiful country with pristine cities, breathtaking landscapes, and natural wonders. The Enchanted Forest is rather marvelous as well."

"The place where you say I come from," Emma conjectured.

"Yes. The first time I was there was at your naming ceremony. Your mother threw a lavish party and invited people in the kingdom to meet you." Killian paused to gauge her reaction. Emma did not bat an eyelash.

Killian continued, "I was five years old at the time when I first met you. You must have been less than a week old so you most likely wouldn't remember. My father was friends with your parents. I remember how kind and generous your parents were."

"What happened to them? Snow White and Prince Charming."

"They were attacked and thrown into a portal by the Evil Queen, Regina. Regina had a vendetta against your mother and wanted to take over the kingdom. She learned how to perform powerful magic to thwart you parents."

"What did Snow White do to incur such wrath?" Emma asked.

"She told a secret which led to Regina's lover being killed by Regina's mother" Killlian answered.

"That's it? Telling a secret? When Regina's mother killed her lover?"

"Her mother was forcibly sent to another land as well. Regina was overcome by darkness. Once that happens it's hard to stop."

"All that trouble to get revenge."

"Aye. To save you from certain death, you were smuggled out of the Enchanted Forest and ended up here."

"So you say," Emma shrugged.

"Your mother was a famed beauty as will you be once everyone in the kingdom takes one look at you."

"Oh, please. Flattery gets you no where," Emma said as she rolled her eyes.

Killian was amused at how much she was making this a challenge for him. Most women would usually be falling at his feet by now but he was getting entertained by her aloofness.

Suddenly, he heard Will shout and there was a commotion. Killian looked up to see that Will hanging upside down by his foot. He must have stepped into a trap.

Robin yelled, 'I'll take care of him. You watch the princess."

Emma yelled, "Watch out for the other trap!"

Robin and Killian shouted simultaneously, "Where?"

"Behind you."

They turned around, stepped back, expecting to see something and unknowingly fell into a deep hole.

Emma turned to run. The sounds of shouting and cursing started to lessen so she slowed down to catch her breath. What morons, she thought. Once she caught her breath she jogged quickly to the main road hoping to flag down someone to give her a lift back to town.


	11. Chapter 11

Emma finally reached the road and started to jog alongside it. She knew the men were only a few minutes behind so she needed to hitch a ride with the first person she met in order to get away from these men.

She was so confused by their actions. The fact that they dove into the water after her seemed extreme. Why would they go to such a trouble just to kidnap her?

Of course, there was the kiss. She was assaulted by the memory of the feel of Killian's lips moving over hers, how her body molded into his. It was so full of passion and warmth. Growing up in a tavern she had come across amorous couples caught up in a passionate embrace so she was exposed many times to carnal behaviors. She even had the feeling of lust described by one of the dancers, a pleasant, swirling sensation around the innards that sometimes travels to your groin. Thinking back the description pretty much matched what Emma was feeling when she was enveloped in Killian's arms. She hadn't experienced that feeling before when other men tried to forcibly kiss her. He kissed her when she looked like a grubby barmaid before knowing what she truly looked like. Then again, a man who hasn't had gratification in a while wouldn't be too preferential so she didn't think too much of it.

Then their reactions when they saw her sans makeup and how Robin compared her to her supposed mother seemed so genuine. Then Killian speaking to her about people that were supposed to be her parents and an evil Queen named Regina, the story seemed so unreal yet she couldn't detect any lies coming from him. It was all too incredible to be the truth, she stubbornly thought.

"That trick you played on us, princess, was rather bad form," Killian said running out of a clump of trees. He was breathing hard from running after her.

"You might as well give up mister. I'm too much trouble to be a passive captive so you might as well just cut your losses and leave me be," Emma replied.

"Why don't you do us both a favor and take a leap of faith, love. Trust me. At least give yourself the opportunity to learn about where you came from, your history," Killian pleaded.

Emma hesitated. She had always wanted to know who her parents were and where she came from. She had been desperate for it. She started to feel a small sliver of hope that this man is actually telling the truth and could lead her to the answers she was seeking. The small amount of hope kept warring with her thoughts of this being a ruse, a ruse that could cost her livelihood. If she wasn't at the tavern to help her father manage it, he might sell it and leave her on the streets with nothing.

Emma said, "I can't….I can't lose what I've worked hard for all my life."

"The tavern?"

"Yes."

"Why would you need a tavern, love, when you could have a whole kingdom, a grand palace, the royal jewels?"

"It doesn't even seem real."

"It is real."

"Even the betrothal?"

"The betrothal is real. I take my duty seriously and will marry you when we get back to my kingdom. It would be considered a dishonor if I did not fulfill the terms of the betrothal contract."

"But is there anyone you ever wanted to marry? Anyone you'd prefer?"

"Duty before preference, princess." Killian's response didn't really answer her question.

They both turned to hear three riders coming up the road. It was too late to hide since they were already spotted.

"Good day to you both," the lead rider greeted while tipping his hat as he rode up to them.

Emma and Hook both nodded at him.

"Now what could you two be doing…on such a… fine…day," the man stuttered when Emma caught his eye, "My, you're a fine lookin' woman."

Emma was a bit disconcerted. She remembered him as a patron from the bar because his sheer size always gave her pause. He had medium brown hair pulled into a ponytail, the bushiest eyebrows she ever saw, but besides that he was rather handsome but not as good looking as Killian. He came into the tavern every couple months or so.

"Now what name would go with such a lovely face?" the stranger asked.

"Emma. Emma Swan," she replied.

"Not the Emma Swan that works over at the tavern in the next town, is it?" he asked.

"Yes," Emma replied and then she added uncomfortably, "Everyone tells me I look better in daylight."

"My name is Gaston LeGume. I think there should be a way to bring more daylight in the tavern. I would definitely spend more time there with a lady that could outshine the sun."

Killian rolled his eyes. "If you don't mind my betrothed and I were just heading back to town."

He tried to take Emma's arm but she pulled away.

Gaston smirked, "Betrothed, huh? That means you're not married yet."

One of Gaston's companions called out, "Are we ready to go yet, Gaston?"

Gaston shot back, "Can't you see I'm courtin' here?"

Gaston's companion replied with impatience, "Doesn't look that way to me."

At which point, Gaston got off his horse, walked to Emma to grasp her hand and went down on one knee. He turned to his companion and asked, "Now does it?"

His companion said, "Well, now it looks that way. Will you be long then?"

"I'll be as long as I want-"

"He won't be long at all," Killian interrupted.

Gaston shot Killian a glare, then ignored him and continued to stare at Emma.

"Mr. LeGume, please get up," Emma asked.

"Not until you see that you've stolen my heart," Gaston replied.

"Oh this is ridiculous. You hardly know her," Killian interjected, clearly getting exasperated with the situation.

"You hardly know me and I don't know a thing about you," Emma retorted.

"I have your parents' blessing," Killian argued.

"I have no way of knowing what you say is true," Emma countered.

"It seems the lady needs a little more time to consider other possible suitors and I'll be giving it to her," Gaston declared. "You'll be coming with me back to my lair."

He stood up and seized Emma.

Emma frowned and struggled. "Your lair? I'll be doing no such thing. Can't you take me back to town?"

"Now just a second-" Killian moved to push Gaston away from Emma.

Gaston's two other companions drew their pistols.

"Seems you are outnumbered and outgunned," Gaston grinned.


	12. Chapter 12

Killian couldn't believe it. He had been bound hand and foot and rolled down a ditch. His last glimpse of Emma was her worried face when she was tossed onto Gaston's mount. She at least made a valiant struggle and let out a volatile string of curses which Gaston and his companions laughed at.

Killian's one bit of resistance was punching Gaston's companion in the face which earned him a good-sized headache as the other companion knocked him in the back of the head with a pistol. Killian had always heard that he was hard headed but it didn't just refer to his stubbornness, he also had a skull as hard as a rock. He was left dazed but not completely senseless when they bound him. He shouted promises of his retribution as they rode away.

It took a while but he finally got free of his bonds and started in the direction where Gaston and his men rode. He had told Robin and Will earlier to make their way back to the town to get some horses. It would be easier to transport Emma on horseback rather than waiting for her to walk them into another trap. She was a clever woman that he had to concede.

It was a few hours later when he heard Will and Robin come up behind him on the road. They were on horseback and brought an extra horse for him.

"Where's the princess? Were you able to find her?" Robin asked.

"I was able to find her but then three men came and abducted her," Killian said with frustration in his voice.

"Well, we'll just have to steal her back, won't we?," Will said cheerfully. He loved adventure and this sojourn was right up his alley.

They followed the trail that Gaston and his companions left. It went down the road for a long while but then veered away into the woods onto a deer trail.

It was nightfall when he came upon their campfire. Killian, Robin and Will saw that Gaston's two companions were asleep while Emma and Gaston were having a conversation on the other side of the fire. Robin and Will went to the other side of the campfire ready to subdue Gaston's companions as soon as Killian gave the signal.

As Killian slowly snuck up to Emma and Gaston, he couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"You won't get away with this," Emma told Gaston.

"I already have," Gaston replied with a grin.

"Where will you take me?"

"Home. My lair."

"I won't stay there, wherever it is."

"I'm doing you a favor. Giving you a little more time to devote to your choice of husbands. And letting you get to know me a bit more so you'll pick me."

"What makes you think I'll pick you?"

"Well, why wouldn't you pick a man that could bring you joy, laughter and love in your life without a dull moment?"

"I'd rather be given the choice of my own destiny," Emma retorted.

"You're upset. It's understandable. I'm confused and amazed myself of the feelings you provoke in me. Just letting you know I'm not in the habit of absconding with beautiful women such as yourself. You're the first."

"Lucky me."

"I'm the lucky one."

"Why don't you take me back to the tavern and you can ask my father if you can court me?"

"Too many complications. I like making sure I get a done deal and I wouldn't want your betrothed to steal you away. I'll keep you until you agree to marry me."

"I'm not going to marry you if you kidnap me!"

"Now don't lose your temper. I just need a little more time to convince you I'd make a fine husband."

"What makes you think my temper is up? I'll have you know I'm disagreeable all the time!"

One of Gaston's companions who looked as if he was asleep, opened one eye and interrupted, "The courtship isn't going too well, is it?"

"Shut your piehole!" Gaston yelled. Gaston's companion promptly pretended to go back to sleep.

Emma looked as though she was about to throw a fit. She looked all around her as if to see if there was someway she could get out of there without being stopped or at least something to hit Gaston with. She turned to Gaston in a huff.

"Listen here, Gaston-" She was about to say something when she was interrupted by Gaston's mouth swooping down to Emma's lips for a kiss.

"That'll be enough of that, Gaston," Killian growled as he came out of the shadows with his pistol drawn.

Killian had been amused that he wasn't the only man Emma tried to argue with and was resistant against but that amusement fled when he saw Gaston kissing Emma.

Emma gasped when she heard Killian's voice and Gaston got up very quickly.

Robin and Will came out of shadows as well and very quickly disarmed Gaston's two companions. They pointed their weapons at Gaston.

Killian approached Gaston, "Hand over your pistol slowly."

Gaston slowly handed Killian his pistol and said, "Can't say I'm please to see you."

"You should have been expecting me," Killian replied.

"I hope you don't think I'll be giving up the lady without a fight," Gaston declared.

"Glad to hear it. After tying me up, rolling me down a ditch and kidnapping Emma, you deserve a black eye or two."

"Killian, you have their weapons. Let's just go. You don't want to do this," Emma implored. Emma looked worried and Killian was touched. She noticed that Gaston was a bigger man than he was. He knew that the bigger they are, more likely the slower they are.

"On the contrary, love," he said with an underlying determination. "I couldn't think of anything I'd like to do more."

Emma groaned while Robin and Will let out a small chuckle. Killian chucked his pistol at Will who deftly caught it one-handed. Then Killian took apart Gaston's pistol and threw it into the darkness.

Killian and Gaston rolled up their sleeves and started to circle each other in an attempt to find an opening for a punch. Killian managed to land the first punch. Gaston smiled after being hit. Gaston tried to swing at Killian but Killian was faster managing to duck the punch and then landing another of his own. Gaston stopped smiling.

Emma witnessed many fights in the tavern. Some of the drunken, rowdy customers would swing their fists haphazardly and some actually had some skill when it came to fighting. Emma recognized that Killian definitely had fighting skills. He had straightforward punches, lightning jabs and not a single wide swing or wasted movement. He was also the one landing all the punches. His ducks and retreats were too fast for Gaston.

One of Gaston's eyes were most definitely going to turn black by tomorrow, his lips looked puffy already and the left side of his face was beginning to swell. One more punch knocked Gaston out and he fell to the ground.

"Good show!" Robin yelled.

"I'd have done him in with a combination if I were you, Killian," Will shouted.

Gaston's companions just looked on completely amazed.

"Well, I feel much better. Time to go," Killian declared.

They left Gaston and his companions tied up while they saddled up to leave. Killian took Emma to his mount to help her up and he mounted up behind her.

As they rode away, Emma asked Killian, "Where are you taking me?"

Killian answered, "Back to the tavern. I realized I was very short and impatient with you when I met you. It was bad form. I'd like a chance to rectify my bad behavior. May I request some of your time tomorrow so that we could talk?"

"That sounds good to me," Emma said surprised at his manner.

Killian brought her back to the tavern a few hours before the sun was supposed to rise. He bid her sleep well as he kissed her hand and left.


	13. Chapter 13

By midday, Killian walked into the tavern to talk to Emma. Since Emma agreed, she sat down to hear what he had to say. They both sat at a table while Robin carried in a small chest and set it down nearby. Both Will and Robin sat farther away from them to give them some privacy.

"First I'd like to start off with an apology. I don't do this very often and this is the second time I will apologize to you so treasure it, love," Killian went on, "I apologize. I should never have been impatient and tell you to leave with me. I should have explained myself and asked you if you would like to come with us. I acted no better than Mr. Legume."

"Even if you asked me I wouldn't have said yes. My father told me you boys were slave traders."

As soon as she said that, Mr. Swan walked into the tavern main room. "What is going on here? You're sitting here with them, girl? After what I told you about them?" Mr. Swan thundered.

"After you lied and told her we were slave traders," Killian countered.

"Even if you weren't slave traders, whatever you wanted with her you're still up to no good," Mr. Swan clamored. Then he seemed puzzled as he looked at Emma, "You look different."

"I am trying to tell her where she came from which I'm sure you want me to refrain from doing since you use this girl for free labor and want to keep it that way," Killian then turned to Emma. "Emma, I want to give you the choice of finding out about your history. If you choose to come with me, I will show you your heritage and introduce you to your parents' friends that can share some stories with you."

Emma eyes began to water. She started to believe what he had been saying and could detect no lie in his words. Since she was a young girl she was extremely curious to know about her background.

"I want to make it possible for you to walk away from this life without regrets which is why I brought this," Killian waved at Will to bring forth the small chest. "If you are concerned about leaving your father, in this chest is enough gold to keep him comfortable for the rest of his life. Just say the word, you can come with us and walk away with the knowledge that your father will be taken care of. The life you are walking towards will be full of grandeur and splendor and you will want for nothing."

Mr. Swan's eyes grew wide. He picked up the gold coins and bit one to check if they were real. He saw that they were.

He let out a cackle, "Girl, you can choose to go along with these men and leave me with this."

Emma realized finally that he was telling the truth. Offering her father a fortune defied reason. It meant that money was of no account to them. This man would not offer this much money unless he was being honest. They would not get as much if she was sold on the auction block as a slave. She was a princess and not just any princess but the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. The tales of their love were told as far as Raratonga. They were Emma's favorite stories. There was only one problem.

"As much as I appreciate the offer, I do need to address one point of concern," Emma took a deep breath, "This proposal comes with a betrothal and I always felt I should have a choice of spouse."

A flash of discomfort crossed Killian's face but he quickly recovered, "You have a choice to turn down the betrothal. As do I, but as I've said before it is a matter of duty to fulfill the terms. Since you were not brought up to understand our ways, an exception can be made but you must be the one to tell my father face to face if you want to break the betrothal. For appearances sake however, I would like to maintain that we are betrothed until the time you meet the king. But I do want to warn you where the wishes of the king lie. He wants to see you on the throne."

"I accept your offer, Prince Killian."

"What's that? He's a prince?" Mr. Swan questioned.

 

* * *

 

 

Emma said goodbye to all the people in the town that she cared about. They had all asked her where she was going and she told them that her real parents' people came looking for her to see if she wanted to live with them. She didn't mention they were royalty in case someone had some funny ideas of kidnapping her and ransoming her off.

When she went to say goodbye to her father, instead of saying he would miss her and to take care of herself like any good father would do, he grumbled that she shouldn't have accepted the first offer but bargained higher for more gold. Killian stiffened upon hearing that and started to berate Mr. Swan for being so unfeeling towards his daughter that he may never see again until Emma put a hand on his arm and told him this was the best she could expect. She didn't think it would get any better. He proceeded to escort Emma out of the tavern and into the carriage that would take her away from the town where she grew up.

Killian made arrangements to take her to the city by carriage which she considered a luxury. Killian, Robin and Will rode alongside but sometimes took turns sitting inside the carriage to keep her company. They finally got to the city and as soon as they got rooms at a hotel, Killian sent a seamstress to Emma to do some measuring for some new dresses. Emma balked at the new clothes saying she didn't have any money to compensate the service and he assured her she was worth a fortune. He made sure to pay the seamstress extra to finish the dresses in record time.

They spent one night in the city of Remie then they were to board the boat to Alleland. Emma thought it was ridiculous for Killian to take turns with Will and Robin to guard her room by sleeping outside her door. They were taking their duty to protect her very seriously. She wondered if there are other threats she was unaware of.

The next morning, she asked Killian why there was a need for such security.

"There may still be some danger from the Evil Queen. She hasn't been spotted for years but that doesn't mean she is not alive, plus her followers can still be lurking," Killian said. "You're still not having second thoughts are you? Because of the danger?"

"I witnessed twelve deaths and countless bar fights at the tavern. I'm no stranger to danger. It's everywhere," Emma scoffed.

Killian smiled. "At least now, you'll have an army of soldiers and sailors to protect you."

Her dresses had arrived, along with an array of undergarments and things she had no clue what they were for. She was being helped by the dressmaker staff to try on her dresses. She had picked a blue plaid day dress to wear to the boat. When she emerged from her room with her hair coiffed, she warmed to Killian's eyes appraising her and smiling in approval. He took her hand to lead them to the docks which was just a short walk away.

Waiting for them at the docks was Killian's valet, Jaq and two other servants, Gus and Bruno. Then on board the ship she was introduced to her lady's maid, Mary and two other servants, Suzy and Perla. Killian mentioned a tutor was coming aboard that was supposed teach her subjects that her rudimentary education at home may not have covered. Emma caught his diplomatic manner of referring to her education which he must have assumed was non-existent. In fact, her mother, Mrs. Swan was a very educated woman, who came from a fine family, who unfortunately didn't marry very well. Mrs. Swan taught Emma to read, write, and do math. She learned about various subjects such as science, history, and geography just to name a few. Emma must have read every book in the Rensellaer library and her mind was like a sponge wanting to absorb as much information as possible.

To Emma's surprise her tutor was a cricket that could talk. As soon as Emma was settled in her cabin, he introduced himself as Jiminy Cricket and was delighted to start teaching her and getting to know her. She expressed her impatience to get the lessons started. He assured her they have plenty of time since it takes at least three months to get to Alleland.

When she went up to the main dining room, she was introduced to the Captain and was welcomed aboard the Jolly Roger. When she asked questions about the ship, Killian was a veritable fount of knowledge. It was apparent to Emma that he enjoyed sailing and was born to sail the open seas. He told her the Jolly Roger was his own personal vessel and that he used to captain it himself but due to his current duties as crown prince he hired a captain to takeover.

After dinner, Killian tucked her arm into his and escorted her around the ship to get her familiar with it since it would be her temporary home for the next three months. As she walked alongside him, she realized she had not been alone to talk with Killian since they had spoken on the road before Gaston took her. As she looked around there were always people around them, either the ship's crew or the servants or his friends. She didn't have a chance to have a private moment with him.

She had been worried that Killian would think her request to choose her own spouse was her rejecting him. On the contrary, she was very much interested in Killian. No other man had made her feel so alive before. She just thought the idea of an arranged marriage was so impersonal and more like a business transaction. What about love, respect, passion? She wanted that more than palaces, fancy clothes, jewelry. She wanted Killian to see her as more than just a service to the king and kingdom. She wanted him to see her as his lover, partner and friend. She just wasn't sure how to go about ensnaring his feelings. Her past experiences with men was rather rough, a stolen kiss before she kneed a man in the groin or a sudden grope before she drew her knife, so she didn't have much practice. She didn't want to make a fool of herself until she found out more about Killian's feelings toward her. After Killian and Emma made some more small talk he escorted her back to her cabin and bade her good night as he pressed a kiss to her hand.

Emma had fallen into a routine of Killian escorting her to her meals and accompanying her during walks around the deck of the ship pointing out interesting facts about sailing, teaching her nautical terms and then returning her to her cabin to continue her lessons with Jiminy Cricket. She found out a lot about Killian from the conversations she had with his friends and servants, even Mr. Cricket, which increased her desire to know more.

Seeing the coasts of other lands was interesting too. During their stops in foreign ports to take on more supplies, they would all explore the cities along the water. She always was entertained by Will and Robin telling stories of their times when they were in this port or that; they would tell stories about court, sometimes give lessons, clumsily at best, of court etiquette which was ironic since those two didn't give a damn about court etiquette themselves.

One day as she sitting down to her lessons with Jiminy (he allowed her to call him by his first name) Emma said, "You're so nice to me, Jiminy." He would criticize Robin and Will but never a condemning word for her. Without fail, he was always respectful.

"You deserve it more than most, your highness. Your life has been hard. Harder than most."

"How would you know what my life has been like?" Emma asked.

"Killian told me of you. He told me what he saw and the man who raised you."

"He speaks of me?"

"Yes, as much as you ask questions of him," Jiminy said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Does he ask about me?

"Well, there's not much he isn't told already. Everything he could possibly know is disclosed before he asks."

"By you?"

"Certainly."

"You mean you tell him what we talk about."

"Yes, but relax. I haven't told him anything that might displease you."

"I hope not."

"Might I suggest something? There is a certain area of expertise that I have neglected to teach you through no fault of my own. It is the dancing part. Since I'm the size I am, it would be difficult to coach you through this part of the curriculum I have set up. If I mention to Prince Killian that you need help learning the dances at court, would you accept his services as teacher? It might get you some alone time with him."

"That would be fine, Jiminy." She tried to outwardly act nonchalant but inside her pulses started racing in anticipation.

"Perfect, I'll set it up."


	14. Chapter 14

"You're a natural, Swan." Killian said as he waltzed Emma around the main deck of the ship. When Jiminy suggested that he teach Emma the dances at court, he grabbed the opportunity to arrange it after dinner and bade the crew to clear the deck. She was a quick learner and soon knew three different waltzes already.

 

"You're calling me, Swan? I guess you can say when you met me I was the ugly duckling."

 

"I only saw the graceful, beautiful Swan when I saw you dancing my first night in the tavern," Killian said. "That was you dancing, wasn't it?"

 

"Yes it was."

 

"Thought so."

 

Killian had fantasized Emma dancing for him many times. The memory of her delicate refined movements and flashes of skin made his cock twitch. It still bothered him that she was the dancer that could be had for money but he put it aside to enjoy the waltz with her. He wanted to give her a new life and despite what she said about wanting to choose her own spouse, he was determined that she would choose him. He became excited at the prospect of courting her and winning her love and devotion. He was a bit unsure how to romance his new ladylove since he always had women chasing after him. So far, he made sure to act like the perfect gentleman and treated Emma the way she should have been treated all her life.

 

Killian asked, "How are you enjoying the dancing so far?"

 

"I enjoy being with you, Killian," she said with a smile.

 

That answer started a warm feeling in Killian's chest and brought a smile to his lips.

 

"And I enjoy being with you."

 

Her answer was also a big smile.

 

They continued dancing throughout the night until it was time to retire and he escorted her back to her cabin. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her but he held his manly urges in check. He wasn't sure how far he could control himself if he were to start being amorous with Emma.

 

"Thank you for showing me how to dance."

 

"It's been my pleasure, Swan." He kissed her hand and bade her good night.

 

* * *

 

 

The next morning he was given a report by Emma's lady's maid, Mary, that Emma started her menstrual period. He felt uncomfortable, as if he were violating her privacy, but this was a practical matter that needed attention. The king needed to make sure that Emma was not pregnant with another man's child to make sure her progeny was with Killian so she was properly chaperoned at all times. The start of her menses would be written down in an official log book with the lady's maids' signature as witnesses. Emma would bear no other man's child but Killian's, he was going to make sure of that. His desire to possess her was overwhelming.

 

After spending more time with her, he examined this slight of girl that he had so quickly become enamored with. She was not only beautiful, but smart, resourceful, funny, outspoken, witty; spirited; the list of positive attributes could go on and on. He remembered how exasperated he was with her when he chased her in the woods of Raratonga but he kind of enjoyed it and felt an admiration for her cleverness. Sometimes he would be jealous when his friends commanded her attention but he quickly tamped it down. He knew that he could trust his friends where Emma was concerned.

 

In fact, Robin and Will had approached him about the unsuitability of Emma's upbringing as a future Queen. When Killian quickly reproached them, they backed off. Then they started to see that Killian was falling for Emma. They were overjoyed for their friend and continued to tell her stories of Killian that put him in a good light.

 

One day Killian looked at the calendar and realized Emma's birthday was coming up in a couple of days. He wondered if she even knew when her birthday was. He decided to set up a surprise party for her. He asked the captain to put the ship in at the nearest port so he could get some supplies for the party. He bade Jiminy to keep her occupied while they set up a party in the main dining room of the ship. The servants decorated with sparkly ribbons & streamers with a banner that said "Happy Birthday Emma."

 

When it was time for Killian to escort her to the noon meal, he was excited to show her the surprise.

 

"Emma, you look wonderful," he said as he tucked her hand into his elbow.

 

"You look like you're up to something, Killian," she said suspiciously.

 

"That's because I am. Do you know what today is?"

 

"Tuesday?"

 

"Yes, it is Tuesday but it was also the eighteenth anniversary of the day you were born."

 

"You mean, today is my birthday?"

 

"Yes, Happy Birthday, Emma."

 

"I never knew. My mother and I made up my birthday and we picked the day that she found me. We would celebrate together."

 

"Well, now you'll celebrate with us," Killian said as he opened the door to the main dining room. The whole room jumped out in surprise. Robin, Will, the servants, Jiminy, the Captain and crew were all there.

 

"Surprise! Happy Birthday!"

 

Emma looked like she was going to jump out of her skin. Killian drew her into the room to receive the well wishers. They sat down to a scrumptious meal and Emma opened presents afterwards. Killian announced his present was waiting outside. They all filed out to the deck in immense anticipation of Killian's gift to Emma. He bade Emma look over the water across the bay and he gave the signal to start the fireworks display from a barge. This was Emma's first time watching fireworks and she was like a small child fascinated by the sparkling shapes, colors and sounds that boomed so loud it made her heart thump. Killian hired a small orchestra to play music on the deck and everyone started dancing.

 

As Killian was dancing with Emma, he noticed tears in her eyes.

 

"Are you okay, Emma?"

 

"I'm fine. I just never realized life could be so much better. Thank you, Killian."

 

'It's my pleasure, my Swan."

 

He understood her. She had a hard life and she probably didn't realize how hard it was until she experienced something better.

 

The next day they set sail for Prince Eric and Princess Ariel's castle by the seashore. Princess Ariel had known Emma's mother and he thought it would be nice for Emma to learn more about her.

 

When they docked in port, they were greeted by an Admiral whom he knew who kindly escorted them to the palace. Killian was good friends with Prince Eric who also loved to travel and captained his own boat. They had bumped into each other plenty of times in various ports of call.

 

They were welcomed to the palace by Prince Eric and Killian made the introductions. When Ariel found out Emma was Snow White's daughter, Ariel was overjoyed. Emma was overcome by Ariel's exuberance and was happy to listen to Ariel's stories of her mother. Eric and Ariel announced they would have a ball in honor of Emma's return. Preparations were made to organize a feast and Emma needed a new ball gown.

 

* * *

 

 

Emma still wasn't used to getting dressed up by maids and getting her hair done despite their attentions while they were at sea. Apparently as a princess, she should get herself used to being assisted. Her ball gown was red satin that hugged and showed off the curves of her graceful figure. Ariel lent her one of her tiaras to signify that she was a princess.

 

She felt like she was having an out of body experience when she walked down the stairs to the ball room attracting many admiring glances. One of those admiring glances belonged to Killian who took her hand to escort her to the ball room. She blushed when he told her she looked stunning. When they were announced, "Prince Killian of Alleland and Princess Emma of Storybrooke," a hush fell over the room with many whispers of how the lost princess had been found. Emma looked at Killian and the proud smile he wore on his face and how handsome and dashing he looked in his finery.

 

When the dancing started, Killian asked her for the first dance which she quickly accepted and she felt so surreal floating in her prince's arms to the rhythm of the music of the orchestra. She started to feel like a real princess. Unfortunately, there were other men there who wanted to dance with her and cut in. For a minute it looked like Killian would tell them to get lost, then he straightened up, removed the scowl from his face and gracefully allowed them to dance with her. It would have been bad form if he didn't allow it. Emma would sometimes look up and see Killian speaking to either Will or Robin who would then make their way to her to cut in and dance with her. It was only a short time later before Killian found his way back to her. She wondered if he sent his friends to interrupt her dancing with other men.

 

Towards the end of the ball, Killian took Emma out into the balcony and into the garden where they found a bench to sit on. They were in view of party guests should they care to take a look at the garden but had enough privacy for a conversation.

 

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" Killian asked.

 

"A few times," Emma blushed.

 

"This is what your life should have been and what will be."

 

"I'd like to thank you, Killian, for taking me here, for introducing me to one of my mother's friends."

 

"There are more people that knew your parents and would be delighted to meet you when we get to Alleland. A lot of your parent's people came to live in Alleland when your parents' castle was destroyed along with the other surrounding villages. I'm sure the seven dwarves would be ecstatic to see you."

 

"Seven dwarves?"

 

"Yes, they work in the mines. Alleland wouldn't be as prosperous as it is if it weren't for them and they're magical pickaxes that could break through the hardest rock. They found many precious stones in our mines. Also other people from Storybrooked helped make Alleland more prosperous. The people are happy with their lives. My father feels some of that fortune should belong to you. You'll have everything you want at your disposal, Swan."

 

"Do I have you at my disposal?"

 

"Anytime, princess," Killian said in a husky voice that always made her stomach do somersaults. "Does this mean you are rethinking calling off the betrothal?"

 

"I only wanted a choice but that doesn't mean I wouldn't choose you."

 

Killian inhaled sharply and raised a hand to stroke Emma's cheek.

 

"Can I kiss you, Emma?"

 

"Anytime, Killian." He bent to taste the sweetness of her parted lips. He released her lips to cup her face in his large hands to see the adoration and longing in her gaze that must have reflected his own. Her hands went to the back of his nape and she pulled his face closer so she could kiss him. Her lips moved over his and he deepened the kiss by putting his arm around her to bring her closer to him. She was drowning in the sensations. When his tongue intruded into her mouth, she had a deluge of unanticipated sensations converging on her all at once. It felt like her blood was soaring, her legs melting, her insides were coming apart.

 

The feelings were just too much and Emma had to pull back to catch her breath. They separated when they realized that they were still in view of the other guests. When they both caught their breath, Killian took her back to the party.

 

When the party ended, Killian walked her back to her room. Killian turned to Emma and bade her goodnight but Emma didn't want the night to end. She circled her arms around Killian's neck and gave him a deep, long kiss that Killian reciprocated. He pressed her body against hers. She marveled at how he was so hot to the touch.

 

Killian let out a groan. "I want you, Emma."

 

"Then take me, Killian."

 

"I know that it's been a while since you've had…because you haven't had…"

 

"Since I haven't had what, Killian?" Emma was curious what he was referring to.

 

"Well, since you haven't had a man pleasure you in a while. But I-"

 

"I haven't had a man pleasure me ever."

 

"You mean a man has never been able to make you-"

 

"No, I mean I've never been with a man in that way."

 

"You don't have to lie to me, love. I prefer women with experience anyway," Killian said intimately.

 

Jealousy, insecurity, outrage, reared its ugly head. She knew it was irrational to believe that he never was with a woman. He was good looking enough for women to throw themselves at him. She felt extremely insecure that she had no sexual experience compared to other women that he had most likely been with.

 

"Well then, you might not prefer me. Other than the numerous times I came upon couples fornicating in the tavern, my expertise in the sex department is lacking due to never practicing the act."

 

"Emma, it doesn't matter what happened in your past …"

 

"I feel like I'm being punished because I wouldn't believe you when you told me I was a princess," Emma cried.

 

"No love that was your father's lies that didn't make you believe me. I don't blame you," Killian said trying to placate her.

 

"Forget it, Killian!" she turned to go into her room, "Good night!" and slammed the door in his face.


	15. Chapter 15

The next morning she wanted to talk to Killian to apologize for her behavior. Her emotions were in turmoil after he said he preferred women with experience and she felt lacking. This battled with her realizing he thought she was a prostitute all this time and she had previously encouraged him to think that. Despite that, he still acted like a gentleman to her.

Unfortunately, they were constantly surrounded by people. Killian also seemed to want to speak with her privately and seemed frustrated that they were never alone. This conversation called for some privacy considering its delicate nature.

She felt sad for leaving Ariel and made Ariel promise to come visit her so she could hear more stories about her mother, Snow White. They set sail for Alleland. During the afternoon, they hit a large squall. Emma was told to stay in her cabin. She had to make sure she was sitting down in her bed so she wouldn't fall in case the ship bucked from the large waves. The crew was battling waves, wind, and rain. She didn't realize Killian was up there until he came down completely drenched to tell her the storm was over. The thought of Killian getting hit with a wave and going overboard scared her. The deck was a mess when she came up and Killian was helping the crew clean up the rigging and fixing the sails. Her lady's maid, Mary, coaxed her back to her cabin so that she could stay out of the way of the crew while they were working.

The next day, Killian was in his office surrounded by various government officials and clerks that were waiting for him at Prince Eric's kingdom, carrying loads of documents for Killian to look at. They knew he would stop at Prince Eric's to pick up more supplies for the ship so they journeyed there to meet him. Killian had been away from the kingdom for quite some time and he was happy to hear that his father was doing well and still in good health. He was occupied the whole day catching up on paperwork. She didn't have a chance to talk with him privately even though he made sure to escort her to her meals in the dining room and walks on the deck but they were never out of earshot of anyone . The next day was the same and the next. Privacy was a sparse commodity on that ship.

Their destination was the port city of Tork, located two days journey from the royal palace and the capital city of Alleland, named Verden. When she was told they were approaching the harbor they were to dock, Emma set to work on choosing the most beautiful dress she could impress him with. There were too many beautiful dresses to choose from. She had hoped to bowl him over when he came to escort her off the ship. Hoping to have some time alone when they were traveling in the carriage, she could get out the apology that she was holding in. She finally settled on an emerald green jacket with a matching skirt and lace blouse with a frilly collar.

Killian gave her an appreciative smile that always delighted Emma and escorted her to the carriage while Robin and Will made sure the luggage was loaded and directed the servants. A retinue of men at arms was to accompany them.

Once he got into the carriage with her, Killian started, "Emma, love, I'm so sorry if I offended you after Eric and Ariel's ball in your honor. I was an absolute pig. I don't believe you're a prostitute, not that it would matter if you weren't."

Emma interrupted, "I owe you an apology for overreacting. I also want to explain that you must have heard that the regular dancer, Delilah, charged twenty gold coins for bedroom services. I only took over that night because Delilah was home sick with the flu."

"Now I feel worse for assuming you were a prostitute."

"I didn't help matters either. When I thought you were a slave trader, I wanted you to think I was a hooker because virgins get higher bids on the auction block."

Killian laughed and Emma joined in.

"I have so much to say sorry for Emma. Please forgive me."

"I too have to say sorry."

"How about we both forgive each other and we seal it with a kiss?" Killian suggested.

"I'd love that," Emma said turning her face to his for a long drawn out kiss.

Killian breathed a sigh of relief. "Now that's out of the way, I want to let you know that we are traveling to a house where we will spend the night so that the necessary preparations can be arranged before the last leg of our journey," Killian said.

Emma sat back and admired the view out the window while Killian pointed out facts and anecdotes about the cities, people and buildings she was observing. He had one arm around her and she settled into his side. He was an entertaining teacher and she enjoyed her time alone with him.

"Are you cold, love?"

"Not with you next to me," Emma said with a smile. Killian's eyes lit up.

They arrived at the house and the attendants started to file out of the house to greet the prince and princess. Killian alighted from the carriage and was about to offer his hand to help Emma out when a lusciously curved brunette threw her arms around Killian's neck and plastered her lips to his mouth.

Emma's heart sank. She was being forced to watch Killian kissing another woman and it made her see red. She gave Killian some credit that he wasn't returning the woman's enthusiastic kiss and in fact was trying to end it. He finally accomplished getting the woman's face off him but she was still clinging to him, really clinging. She was gushing, exclaiming that she missed him terribly and that he had been gone for so long she thought she was going to perish before she saw him. She was really laying it on thick.

Emma had the strong urge to reach for her knife that she still kept in her boot out of habit. It would look good lying against the brunette's throat. Killian was finally able to remove her hands from his person and turned her around.

"Countess Milah, may I present to you Princess Emma, my betrothed or had you conveniently forgotten?" he said in a rough, angry but tightly controlled voice. "Princess Emma this is the Countess Milah." He was red-faced and clearly uncomfortable. He had been searching Emma's face for a reaction.

Emma's face was like stone. She was used to not showing emotion when she was upset. She swallowed her feelings. It was a reaction she was used to whenever her father hurled insults at her.

During her time on the ship, Emma felt she was living in a dream world. Now she was slammed back into reality. This was one of the experienced women that Killian had the pleasure to be with. What if he still wanted to be with her? If Emma didn't call off the betrothal, would he be married to Emma and then have a mistress on the side? Like hell he would. She wanted him exclusively. There was no doubt that this woman was his mistress. She was beautiful. Emma wanted to cry and scream but she held her feelings in check. She thought back to the etiquette lessons that Jiminy taught her and realized she could revert to proper behavior whenever the situation became too much for her.

Emma merely nodded to acknowledge the introduction. She didn't dare speak for fear of her voice breaking. Milah performed a perfunctory bow now that Emma's identity had been established. Emma was a royal princess after all.

"I'm sorry your highness. I didn't see you standing there," Milah said.

Liar! Emma wanted to scream.

Emma glanced at Killian and raised an eyebrow at him to accompany an expression as skeptical as she could make it. He got the message and frowned at Milah. He proceeded to help Emma out of the carriage to face the line of servants that had witnessed the whole thing. Emma was embarrassed. 

The butler and the head housekeeper had the sense to glower and cluck their tongues at Milah, then turning to Emma with a big smile and a warm welcome. Emma was introduced to the long line of servants. She tried to remember their names as a way of getting her mind off Killian and Milah. They were swept into the house to rest for a while before the meal.


	16. Chapter 16

Killian was panicked and embarrassed. Everything had been going so well. He wanted to be a man of honor, a gentleman for Emma and now it was all shot to hell when his mistress showed up. He had no clue what Emma's reaction was when she met Milah.

Then of course there was Milah. He hadn't given her a thought since he left Alleland. He had stupidly assured her that their relationship would not change when he brought home his betrothed to get married. He would rectify that immediately and end the relationship with Milah. He knew it was unfair of him to dump Milah while she had waited all this time for him but he wanted Emma so much and didn't want to jeopardize his relationship with her.

He had thought before he left for Raratonga that he would have no intention of giving up his mistress for a woman he was honor bound to marry and didn't know a thing about. He hadn't counted on his reaction to Emma, that he had desired her from the first moment, that by the time her beauty had been revealed his emotions were thoroughly involved with her and once he got to know her he fell helplessly in love. Now he knew exactly what he wanted and he was terrified of losing it. The chance that Emma would continue the betrothal now was tenuous at best. He should have doubled his efforts in trying to woo her when he had the chance during the voyage and got a firm and binding agreement from her that she would marry him before they left the ship. Instead he patiently romanced her and waited until she came to him with her own decision about marrying him. Then he would know she wanted him for him, not for being a prince.

Dinner that night had been an aggravating affair. He did not have a chance to speak to Milah before dinner and he was told not to disturb Emma because she was taking a nap in her room. He wanted to talk to Emma first and it was frustrating not to be able to. They had all sat down at the dinner table as if it was the most natural thing in the world to have your betrothed and your mistress in the same room. It was laughable that Will was trying to make over that Milah was his mistress. It was nice of Will to try to protect Emma's feelings. Milah half-heartedly played along with it. Emma wasn't stupid, she knew after witnessing that kiss.

The most excruciating thing was that Emma didn't seem to care. She hadn't come to him before dinner to scream at him about Milah. Instead at dinner, she had laughed with Robin, joked with Will and had an in depth conversation with Jiminy. It didn't seem to bother her that she was sitting down to dinner with his mistress, was actually enjoying herself. Was it too late? Had he lost her? That thought made his heart ache. She hadn't spoken one word to him all evening. In fact she spoke to everyone but him. Every so often she would glance at him and smile and he'd grit his teeth wondering why. It was maddening.

At dinner, Milah had turned herself out in grand style, her blue silk gown new, her jewels abundant, her cleavage on display. In fact, Milah was cattily showing off her jewels that Killian gave her. It didn't bother him in the past that she would finger her jewelry in front of other ladies, drawing attention to them as if they were trophies, flaunting them. This time he was extremely annoyed that she was flaunting them in front of Emma, when Emma hadn't a bauble from him. He didn't bring any jewels with him on the trip in case they got robbed or lost at sea and he didn't think to stop by the jewelers when they arrived. He was going to take care of that tonight.

After dinner, he asked Robin to accompany him into town to knock on the home of the jeweler making him open up his store for him. He looked at the jewels on display and picked out a Swan pin made of pearls and diamonds, a diamond tiara, a diamond headband, a pearl necklace with earrings to wear during the daytime and an array of emerald, diamond, ruby, sapphire necklaces with matching earrings and bracelets to wear with her evening gowns. He spent a fortune to make sure Emma was going to enter the palace in grand style looking like a royal princess. He returned to the house with a small jewel-encrusted chest.

Walking up the steps, he carried the chest filled with jewels to Emma's room. He knocked on the door but heard no sound. He really wanted to speak to Emma but she did not answer. He would rather Emma give him hell than the silent treatment. He would talk to her first thing in the morning and present her jewels to her.

He went to the room that Jaq, his valet, prepared for him. Not the one he usually shared with Milah whenever he was in this house. He found Milah curled up in bed in his new room anyway waiting for him.

"Killian, you didn't need to change rooms for appearances sake," Milah chided, "Your little princess doesn't care where you sleep."

Killian's temper flared when she said that.

"You think you know Emma so well."

"Well, didn't you notice how she ignored you all throughout dinner?" Milah asked.

Killian felt a pain in his chest at hearing her words.

"I don't recall inviting you here, Milah."

She tried to laugh it off, "Since when do I need an invitation? You've shared your room with me for the past two years."

He really didn't want to hurt Milah. They did spend two years together developing a familiarity and fondness for each other.

"Milah, we have to talk-"

"Come, Killian let me put you to bed and make you more comfortable," she moved the covers off the bed to reveal that she was completely naked.

In the past, the sight of her naked body always moved Killian to uncontrollable passion and she knew it. He used to worship her body, the things she did with it, what she did to him.

Killian stood staring at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning next chapter.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the smut.

Killian turned to put the chest down on the table.

 

Milah quickly got off the bed and went swiftly to her knees in front of him. She grasped the belt of his pants trying to unbuckle it.

 

Killian stepped back out of reach of her hands and said, "I'm sorry Milah but we need to end this."

 

He walked over to the bed to lift the blanket and wrapped it around her nude body.

 

"I can see it in your eyes that you are hurt by the way she paid no attention to you. Let me see if I can help make you feel better," she stood up and wrapped her arms around him letting her bare breasts press against his chest.

 

"I don't want to make this harder than it has to be, please get dressed and go," Killian said, "I need to give what I have with Emma a chance."

 

Killian pulled Milah's arms away and Milah removed herself from him, "So that's it? Two years of intimacy you're going to just let it go because you're enamored with your new bride-to-be who may not even want you."

 

"Let's not let this get ugly and remain friends," Killian said as diplomatically as possible. He remembered her flaunting him at parties and getting attentions and favors bestowed on her because of their relationship, mistress to a prince. She was well compensated with fancy clothes and jewelry. All the trappings of being a mistress of the Prince was what she really enjoyed and he knew that well. He wondered if he wasn't a prince, if she would want him.

 

"If she decides she doesn't want you, you know where I'll be. Good night, Killian."

 

She proceeded to get dressed.

 

Killian breathed a sigh of relief that his diplomacy worked. He was expecting her to throw a tantrum and wake up half the house. It would have been disastrous had people found her in his room naked, especially Emma. How would he explain himself?

 

"Could you at least escort me back to my room?" Milah asked.

 

"Certainly," Killian said and took her down the hall and deposited Milah in her room.

 

All of a sudden he heard a scream. He immediately thought of Emma. He ran down the hallway to her room and reached her door before the guards patrolling the hallway did.

 

When he saw her, she was wielding a knife, sinking it into the arm of a man on top of her in the bed trying to smother her with a pillow. Killian immediately flew into a rage as the man yelped from the wound Emma inflicted on him. Killian tackled the would-be assassin and pounded his fists into him until the guards and Emma halted the beating. You couldn't question a dead man, after all, and they needed him alive to give them answers. The guards hauled the bleeding man away.

 

Robin ran into the room to survey the scene and started thoroughly searching Emma's room in case there was an accomplice. Killian turned to Emma and was overcome with relief that she was alright. He gathered her in his arms and held her. Will came in and asked Emma what happened.

 

"I heard someone come into my room while I was in bed, it happened so quickly," Emma said still breathless. "That man, whoever he was tried to smother me with a pillow so I reached for the knife I keep next to me and stabbed him in the arm."

 

Killian's smile was full of pride, "You're a brave woman, Emma Swan."

 

Emma was thoroughly shaken and Killian hugged and stroked her hair to calm her down. After a while, Emma stiffened and went to her bed to retrieve her knife and boots. Killian went to the side desk to wash blood off his knuckles with the basin and water jug. She went to sit down in the chair while head of security detail came in to inspect the room and ask her a series of questions so they could determine how the man got in. Every door and window was checked and everything was locked and hadn't been broken into. It was determined that the man could have sneaked into the house at anytime before they arrived. No one knew when Killian was coming back with his betrothed so it was possible that security was lax. It wasn't common knowledge that Killian was leaving to retrieve Princess Emma. Only a few people knew before Killian left and he had to question them. Also guests at the Ariel and Eric's ball knew but would they be able to send a message to someone in Alleland before they got there? This was going to be a full on investigation. No stone would be left unturned.

 

For now, Emma needed to rest for the last leg of the journey and the assailant was taken to the town jail. He would be interrogated when his nose stopped bleeding and his jaw pushed back into place. In the meantime, security would be on high alert.

 

"Emma, you'll be sleeping in my room for the remainder of the night," Killian said beckoning for her to go with him. "I'll sleep on the floor."

 

"Why don't I just take another room?"

 

"Because you need to be guarded for your own safety.

 

"I think I've proved I can take care of myself."

 

"Humor me, love. I won't be able to sleep if you're alone. I'll stand guard at your door all night if I have to."

 

Emma went quietly with Killian to his room and lay down on the bed while placing her knife under her pillow. Killian asked a couple of his men to guard the door to his room. Killian made a pallet on the floor.

 

"Good night, Emma," Killian said. He waited for her to wish him good night but there was no sound.

 

"Emma? Are you alright?" Killian asked in a concerned voice.

 

"I'm fine."

 

"I know it's been a bit of a shock but you're alright now and I'm here to protect you."

 

"Shouldn't you be with your mistress?"

 

Killian got up to sit by the bed and faced her, "She's not my mistress, not anymore. I ended it this evening."

 

"You didn't need to make such a noble gesture for me. I haven't decided if I want to continue with an official marriage yet," Emma responded coldly.

 

Killian held her by the arms, "When I got home tonight, you know where I found her? In my bed, nude, willing and ready for me to join her."

 

"You bastard! You had sex with her!" She struggled to try to hit him. She was furious and Killian rejoiced. "I was getting attacked and you were reuniting with your mistress!"

 

"I didn't have sex with her. I told her to get dressed and leave." He thought Emma looked so sexy when she was angry.

 

"After you had sex with her! How could you? And I had to sit at a dinner table with her!"

 

"I refused the offer that was made. Although my body has been dying for release! But the only woman I want to be with is you!"

 

Emma stopped trying to hit him and stared into Killian's eyes. Killian then pulled Emma in for a kiss. It was now or never.

 

His mouth moved hungrily over hers, his tongue opening hers beneath his mounting ardor, pouring all his passion into her, desperately hoping she would return even a tenth of the feelings he felt for her. He felt triumphant when her body relaxed and she responded to his kiss, darting her warm, wet tongue over his lips. 

When he felt her tongue tentatively moved into his, he groaned and deepened the kiss, sucking her tongue into his mouth. He covered her with his body and pressed her down into the bed. He had dreamed about how she would feel in his arms, how she would taste. The reality far surpassed the dream. She was real, warm, vibrant and to his delight cooperating fully with his seduction of her. 

 

Emma's hands moved to his head combing her fingers through his dark hair and he heard a sigh leave her lips. His hand moved over her hips then slid up her body and caressed her breast. Emma moaned and Killian's cock surged at the sound. He wanted her to be turned on by him as much as he was by her. 

 

Pressing his hard bulge into her hips he thought to himself, "Well, that proves to Emma I didn't have sex with Milah."

 

Killian ghosted his lips and tongue down her neck and across her chest. He wanted her wild with desire. A few more minutes of his careful ministrations her movements became more erratic. He needed to make sure she knew how much he wanted to be with her and only her.

 

"I'm sorry about today, Emma. I didn't think she'd be here. I didn't think at all."

 

"Did you really end it with her?"

 

"Yes. I would have ended it before dinner but I wasn't able to talk to either of you and she has a habit of throwing fits... and objects."

 

"Why did you not tell me about her?"

 

"She didn't even cross my mind when I met you. You're all I think about, dream about."

 

"You really want me?"

 

"You're an incredible woman, Emma. I've been enamored of you since I first saw you."

 

"Take me Killian," she breathed.

 

"Are you sure, love?"

 

"Definitely," she said breathlessly.

 

Killian pulled up her nightgown over her hips to pleasantly discover Emma was bare underneath. He slid his fingers to discover her drenched, slick folds and groaned at the feel of the evidence of her arousal. She threw her head back in a moan and pressed his fingers deeper into her womanhood. He was elated that she desired him.

He never was so desperate to finally feel and experience the beauty beneath him that he pulled the nightgown up over her head and tossed it aside. All his imaginings couldn't prepare him for the sight of this desirous siren. She was gorgeous. She had sweet round breasts that could fit into the palm of his hand, a slim waist that flared into rounded hips and smooth, lean legs that could go on for days. She gave him a look of wanting and lust as she pulled his head into hers and gave him a kiss that seared his soul.

 

He settled his body into hers and returned her passion. He broke the kiss, impatient to taste the rest of her. He trailed his lips to her bosom to take a rosy, pink nipple in his mouth while palming the other breast. She opened her legs and wrapped it around his waist in response. He took his time paying homage to her breasts. They were bloody marvelous.

 

He felt her soft writhing body beneath him as he slowly kissed down her stomach making her mewl with pleasure. He stuck his tongue into her bellybutton and she gasped at the intrusion. Then he slowly drifted kisses to her mound.

 

He spread her legs as he settled in between them and stroked the inside of her thighs with his tongue. He trailed his mouth close to her pussy and then went up the other thigh to slowly tantalize her. His attention came back to her love petals blowing softly on her lips. He slowly kissed around her pink slit then paused before he started to gently lick her up and down. He wanted to make this so good for her and from the whimpering noises she made; he knew she was enjoying it.

 

Her hand came to rest in his hair. He met her eyes and saw how wrecked she was. A few more flicks of his tongue and her moans filled the room. He watched her stomach muscles ripple and her breasts tremble when she reached her peak. She looked even more tempting with her face flushed and body limp.

 

When she came down from her high, he slowly kissed his way up her body and to her lips.

 

"That was amazing," Emma breathed.

 

"You're amazing."

 

"It would be as you say bad form if I didn't reciprocate," Emma said with a smile and reaching for his crotch.

 

Killian sprang into action and removed the rest of his clothes. As she was about to take him in her mouth he stopped her.

 

"I want to make this pleasurable for both us. Lie down and spread those luscious thighs of yours, my beautiful princess."

 

He almost came when she laid back and spread herself for him. He proceeded to rub his penis over her wet slit getting it slick with her juices. He then closed her long, lean legs, thrusting his cock between her thighs, brushing against her sex. She felt so damn good.

 

Emma moaned at the friction against her clit and lips while his thumb played with her rosy nipple. Several minutes later Emma climaxed again. Killian felt his hardened member getting drenched with her juices.

 

He placed her legs to the side while continuing his thrusting so that he can watch her breasts bounce. He came apart watching the erotic vision she painted, hair fanned like a blonde halo around her, lips parted, eyes glazed over and her pert, round breasts heaving. He let go of her legs, letting her come down from her orgasmic haze.

 

Killian got up to take a washcloth and drenched it with water from a pitcher on a side table and proceeded to clean her.

 

He lay down next to Emma on the bed and brought her close to his chest. He still had a great need to spend himself on Emma but tonight was about her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you really think I'd let Killian be with Milah? Hell naw!


	18. Chapter 18

Emma was in no hurry to disturb the intimacy of the moment. She laid half her body on top of Killian. Killian's arm around her back, holding her close to him, was warm and secure. At the moment, he had taken her hand from where she was idly making circles through the mat of dark hairs on his chest and was kissing each finger, an erotic experience, since he chose to nibble and suck on them as well.

She watched them through heavy-lidded eyes, completely fascinated by what his tongue and lips were making her feel. His hair rumpled, his blue eyes lustfully hooded. He was such a sexy man.

"I came by your room earlier to give you something, but you were probably asleep," Killian said as he got up and brought the chest to the bed. He opened it and showed her the vast amounts of jewels he bought her.

"I can't have you looking anything less than the lowliest courtier. You're going through city and palace gates in grand style, my princess," Killian announced with a smile.

Emma was overwhelmed. Any of these necklaces, earrings or bracelets could pay for enough food for a family to eat for a year.

"They're beautiful, Killian. Thank you. You must have felt really guilty about having your mistress around me."

"Ex-mistress."

"Is this why you left after dinner?"

"Yes. I went into town to buy you these. Not that your beauty needs further enhancement, you outshine any jewel, but I wanted something I gave you to be close to your delectable body."

Killian lifted the diamond tiara and placed it on her head, then placed an emerald necklace around her neck, diamond bracelets on her wrists. She imagined what she looked like, hair tousled, lips red, completely naked, draped in jewels.

"You look like a completely disreputable princess," Killian said with undisguised lust in his voice.

Killian made a move towards her but she put up a hand to ask him a question, "Killian, why did you not…penetrate me?"

"Because I wanted to preserve your maidenhead for our wedding night," Killian said with a smirk.

She caught the "our wedding night" hint. She just smiled at his cockiness. Just a few hours before she didn't think she was going to have a wedding night with Killian. She couldn't believe when she walked into the dining room that his mistress was already sitting right next to him. Robin made a move to pull out a chair for her on the other side of Killian but damned if she was going to sit close to them so she pretended not to notice the gesture and perched in a chair farthest from them. The only thing that kept her composed that night was Killian's expression kept getting angrier and angrier. It made her smile.

After dinner Emma wondered why Killian left with Robin. He said he needed to run an important errand that he overlooked. As long as he wasn't with Milah, she was fine with him leaving. She quickly retired to her bedchamber, not wanting to spend anymore time with her, where she thought about her situation and went through all her options. She wanted Killian but there'd be hell to pay if he came with a mistress. She wondered if that was how it was at court. Did princes and kings have mistresses when they were in arranged marriages? Unless Killian declared that her wanted her and only her, then marriage was off the table.

Now she wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself to his chiseled chest for a deep kiss. She believed him when he said he wanted no woman but her. There was no lie in that statement. She laid him back on the bed and sat her bare pussy on his cock. His eyes filled with lust when she reached up with both hands to take her tiara off arching her back slightly to show off her breasts. He was getting erect as she gently slid herself over him. She moved her pussy lips languorously over his cock and he let a moan escape. He reached up to cup her breasts and soon she was vibrating over him, her hips undulating, her hair waving back and forth. She collapsed on his chest as he let out a moan and sweet release.

The next morning Emma woke up to Killian rubbing his nose against her cheek, whispering, "Good morning, love."

He rubbed circles on her flat stomach with the tips of his fingers and she felt the warmth of his body next to her. Her eyes flew open remembering the acts of passion from the night before. A blush bloomed in her cheeks as she recalled her own enthusiastic response to Killian's ministrations.

"I've always wondered what you look like first thing in the morning," Killian looked at her with wonder.

"I probably look awful," Emma said covering her face and hair. She groaned, knowing what her bed head looked like in the morning.

"Not awful. Peaceful, beautiful, tantalizing," Killian whispered as he kissed her shoulder.

She started using her fingers to comb her hair to get it into some semblance of order.

"Do you really keep this knife under your pillow?" Killian asked with a glint of amusement on his face. He was fingering Emma's knife he found on the bed.

"Ever since I was a little girl, to keep me from getting unnecessary beatings from my father. He stopped the physical abuse when I demonstrated that I could fight back and kept to verbal abuse," Emma said.

Killian cursed under his breath, "And to think I let that man have a small fortune."

"I guess I would've worried about him when I had left."

"You're a kind soul, Emma."

"That's sweet of you to say, Killian."

"As much as I'd rather spend the day in bed with you, it is not completely safe here and your safety is top priority. We better get dressed and await the signal from the security guards to let us know when it is safe to travel. They sent scouts out to patrol the roads and I also need to get more information about your attacker. He was probably questioned all night," Killian said.

"Alright," Emma said looking around for her nightgown. Killian got up to retrieve it and she admired his sleek, hard body as he handed her the nightgown. She blushed a little more at the view.

Emma put it on and Killian went to his dresser to fetch his robe to bundle her up with. After he put on another robe and a pair of lounge pants, he kissed her nose, and escorted her to her room. Emma's eyes flew to the bed where she was attacked and he put an arm around her for comfort.

Her maids were there to start her toilette and he looked around to assure everything was safe. He left her to dress and told her he would knock on her door in an hour.

No sooner did an hour pass that she heard a knock on her door which her maid answered. He brought in the small chest of jewels and proceeded to ask which jewelry would go well with her outfit. She was to arrive in the capitol city of Verden, where the palace was located and meet the king. She had a dark red velvet jacket on with a dark red velvet silk skirt with a matching jaunty hat. Lace poured out of her throat and out of her sleeves. She didn't feel the outfit needed much adornment but Killian insisted that she look grand. Alleland was prosperous because of their mines that produced the finest jewels in the land so she couldn't go without being adorned.

They settled on the Swan pearl and diamond pin to hold the collar of her lace blouse and the long stranded pearl necklace, pearl earrings that match and diamond bracelets.

He escorted her down to breakfast with Robin, Will and Jiminy. Thankfully Milah was absent having heard she had left earlier in the morning.


	19. Chapter 19

Killian kept getting more nervous as they sat down to breakfast. A diamond ring was kept in the inside pocket of his jacket that he was going to use to propose to her. He wasn't taking any chances. He wanted to propose to her with his mother's ring but it was kept in the palace and he wanted to propose to her before she met his father, the king. He could always gift that to her later. Emma deserved an engagement ring that was new to symbolize her new life. When he spotted the diamond ring at the jewelers he remembered the circle was a symbol of eternity, with no beginning or end, to signify never ending love. The diamond symbolized enduring, unbreakable love. He quickly added the diamond solitaire gold ring to the rest of his purchases.

For a long time he had no doubt in his mind that he wanted Emma to be his wife. He was impatient to make sure she wouldn't turn down the betrothal when she spoke to the king. He needed a promise from her now. After what passed between them last night, he definitely didn't want to let her go and he hoped Emma would be more amenable to their union.

As they ate breakfast, Emma asked Killian, "So, how many other mistresses do you have other than Milah?"

Killian looked up at her in surprise. He was caught off guard that she asked the question in front of everyone as if she was talking about the weather.

"She was the only one. Now there are no mistresses, only you darling," Killian responded pointedly. He observed her carefully trying to ascertain her mood.

"I was just wondering how life is at court," Emma stated. She turned to Robin and asked, "Do you have any mistresses, Robin?"

Robin looked up startled almost choking on the sausage he just put in his mouth. He grinned and winked, "A gentleman never kisses and tells how many mistresses he has."

"So you have more than one?" she observed. "How interesting!"

Killian didn't know where this conversation might be headed but he wanted to head it off at the pass.

"Robin just hasn't found the right woman like I have," Killian said stressing the last two words. "I'm sure once he has he wouldn't need mistresses since all other women would pale in comparison."

"Do women at court take lovers as well?" Emma asked with a look of innocence.

An unbidden image of Emma in another man's arms forced its way into his thoughts and he had to fight down the bile in his throat.

"If their husbands don't fulfill them in certain ways, but that won't be a problem you'll have, my dear," he said with a smug look.

Emma had the grace to blush at what he was implying. He thought she looked adorable with a growing blush on her cheeks.

"I always feel sorry for the young lasses that have to wed and bed old geezers because their parents wanted them to marry a title or have more money," Will commiserated. "But then I think to myself, wouldn't a young, handsome charming man like meself be a welcome relief from an old gramps and then it's much easier to sweep them off their feet."

"And into your bed?" Emma quipped.

"Aye. That's the general direction," Will answered enthusiastically.

Killian rolled his eyes hoping this conversation will not derail the answer to his proposal that he was hoping for. Emma found Will hilarious and let out a laugh. As long as she found this amusing, he wasn't too worried.

After breakfast, he asked Emma into the sitting room. He held the door open for her and as soon as she walked through, he drew her into his arms and kissed her.

A few minutes later after they came up for air, he asked, "What was that all about, love? I hope you don't think I played you false now or in the future."

"I'm just feeling so thrown with the attack and not knowing what to expect at court and other things…" Emma

"Security has been doubled and you don't have to worry about life at the palace, everyone will adore you," Killian implored. "What are other things are you worried about, love?"

She looked at him for a moment as if she was about to say something but she said, "It's nothing."

"It has to be something and with your sudden interest in the subject of mistresses, it sounds like you're still not over what happened yesterday," Killian conjectured.

"I just don't know what to expect next."

"Expect that I want to make you happy, Emma," Killian said pressing his forehead to hers and lifting a hand up to stroke her cheek.

Killian took her hand and led her to one of the cushioned chairs where she sat down. He felt it was the right time to ask the question he had been anxious to ask. He bent down on one knee, took out the ring and held it in front of her. Emma let out a gasp.

"Emma, when I set out to find you, I did not expect to find a woman who captured my heart so thoroughly and completely. From the first moment I saw you, there was something about you that enchanted me."

"When you thought I could sell my favors in bed?"

"No joking, love. This is a serious moment. And yes, even then!"

"I'm sorry. Serious moments make me feel awkward."

"Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Killian held his breath as he looked into her eyes, anxious to hear what he needed to hear.

"Killian, I don't know what to say."

"Say yes and make me the happiest man alive."

"Killian, if it wasn't your duty, if you weren't honor bound to marry me, would you want to marry me?"

"Yes!" Killian exclaimed vehemently.

He could feel Emma's heart pounding in her chest.

"Then I will marry you, Killian," Emma cried.

Killian jerked Emma to him and kissed her fiercely. The situation was going to escalate into something more intimate until they heard someone knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Killian said in a tone that didn't appreciate the interruption.

It was Robin and Will who gave him the message from security that it was safe to leave.

Killian threw open the doors and announced to his best friends, "Emma has officially promised to marry me."

"Cheers, mate!" Robin replied happily. "I was wondering when you were going to ask her."

"It's about bloody time!" Will exclaimed. "It was a bit touch and go before."

Killian received congratulations and pats on the back from his friends and Emma got hugged and tossed around by Will and Robin. They were happy for their friend and they were delighted to have Emma join them as comrades.

Killian whisked Emma into the carriage. He received a report that Emma's attacker was a follower of Regina's, a fanatic, but no one was able to pry more information out of him. He wasn't going to tell him who tipped him off of Emma's arrival.

"One person who knew that you may arrive here was Milah," Killian said to Emma.

"You're not going to interrogate her alone. I'm coming with you," Emma announced.

"As much as I delight in your display of jealousy, you needn't be so, my Swan," Killian cooed in her ear. "Like I said, you are the only woman I want."

Emma huffed but was placated with kisses.

From the start of the journey, Killian couldn't keep his hands off his beautiful fiancé. The need to hold her, caress her, whisper words of adoration and mindlessly kiss her was too great to hold back. She spent most of the carriage ride sitting on his lap.

He really tried not to ruin her hair. He didn't want Emma looking like she was ravished before they stopped for lunch but currently half her hair was down from her hat, her lips slightly swollen from kissing, eyes glazed with lust and breathless. He needed to cool his passion so he apologized for her current state of dishabille and tried to gather her beautiful long tresses but didn't succeed in putting her coiffure back together. Emma laughed, swatting his hand away, took off her hat and pulled the pins out of her hair to let it cascade loosely around her shoulders.

"When we stop for lunch, I'll get one of the maids to help you with your hair," Killian said with a sly smile.

When they stopped at an inn, Killian alighted from the carriage to check on the security measures and also give Emma time to repair her appearance with the maid's help.

They spent lunch staring into each other' eyes in adoration, sometimes feeding each other tiny morsels so they could try each other's dishes. The onlookers either were happy that the royal couple looked clearly in love or rather uncomfortable with the public displays of affection.

After lunch they were on their way with no further stops to the capital city.


	20. Chapter 20

The capital city of Alleland was merely that, a city. The city proper was enclosed by a wall surrounded by water, like a moat. As in any city, there were many large and elegant homes in certain sections and then there were more bourgeoisie section that was very sturdy and quaint. Commerce was thriving. There were large stores and small shops, open markets, vendors, even warehouses, next to parks, cafes and official looking buildings. Tall bronze statues were centered in squares and trees lined many streets.

The palace formed a square by itself. It wasn't a towering castle like Emma had imagined it would be from all her fairytale stories she read as a child but it was incredibly large nonetheless. Three stories high, it covered a three blocks at least, with the majority of official rooms at the front of the palace and many more rooms stretching down the side blocks, a barracks comprising the rear of the square and open gardens and courtyards in the center of these four long connecting buildings.

Emma was delighted by the city, after having seen nothing but small villages and the occasional estate of a nobleman. But she was totally amazed by the palace, the grandeur of it, the opulence. The entrance was mammoth, the entire three stories high, where an official with armed guards at his sides, many more stationed in the hallway, would have stopped Killian had he not been recognized. Wide corridors of marble were lined with large portraits in solid gold frames, separated by consoles on the walls set with silver lamps, or pedestals holding busts or small statues, or doors with footmen standing at attention on either side.

Emma was dazed by it all as she was ushered down one corridor, then another. Was she actually supposed to live in a place like this? She was afraid she would get lost in this huge maze.

Killian took her straight to the king. Emma started to get really nervous, was forgetting the protocol and correct forms of address that Jiminy drilled into her.

When the doors were opened that led to the King's chamber, she first spotted the king with his advisors in the antechamber. The king noticed Killian and smiled. Approaching them, Emma curtsied and Killian bowed. He held out his arms to Killian and gave him a big bear hug, very happy to see his son. Killian then extended his hand to Emma and introduced the Princess Emma to him.

"Your betrothed needs no introduction, I would know her anywhere," King Richard said with a formal bow, "You are the very image of your mother, Princess Emma. But your hair is pure Charming. Welcome to Alleland." He embraced her in the same bear hug he embraced Killian.

Emma's eyes started to glisten with tears and she didn't know why. Perhaps because this man knew her parents well, had known her since she was a baby, and would tell her things not even Killian could.

Killian noticing the tears brought her in for a hug and they all sat down for a long talk.

The next hour proved uncomfortable for all when Killian told the king what he found out of Lady Ingrid's death and how Emma was raised. You would think Emma had a bleak, depressing existence the way Killian told the story so she butted in and painted a less severe picture, leaving out the hardships and remembering the lighter moments, particularly her life with Mrs. Swan.

The king was visibly affected nonetheless, and she realized why when he said to her, "You must hate me, Emma."

"Why? I don't even know you."

"I sent you off with Lady Ingrid but not once did I consider she might die, leaving you unprotected and at the mercy of peasants."

Mr. Swan would not appreciate being called a peasant. Trash, scum and rabble he was used to. The thought made Emma smile and she turned it on the king to reassure him.

"I don't regret what I never knew in the first place, just as it would be pointless to regret what is done and past, so don't think I regret my life up until now. It taught me a lot, qualities a spoiled and pampered princess would never have learned, self-reliance for one. I believe my upbringing has made me strong, certainly strong enough to put up with your son," Emma joked while nudging Killian in the ribs.

Killian smiled and cocked an eyebrow in response.

King Richard hooted with laughter, "Spoken like a true Charming. Your parents were always excellent diplomats. We are grateful for your understanding. You are truly going to make a splendid Queen one day."

"When?" Killian asked at once.

"Three months from now."

"What! How about three days from now," Killian remarked with impatience.

"Now, now son. The preparations would have taken a year to do but it has been shortened to three months," the king explained. "The making of the wedding gown, the introduction at court, the special functions you both need to attend, meeting important nobles and foreign ambassadors, I could go on and on."

Killian clenched his jaw, clearly unhappy with the amount of time he would have to wait to marry Emma.

The king ignored Killian's growing sour mood and they continued their conversation over the trip and what Killian had been missing since he'd been gone.

 

* * *

 

 

The next day Emma attended fittings for her wedding gown that was a major affair. Then there had been more fittings for the wardrobe that was being made for her, for which gowns had appeared each day for her to wear for special functions she had to attend, where she'd be introduced to the court and the more important nobles of the land, as well as to the foreign ambassadors and dignitaries who would be present at the wedding.

She had also gone through hours of interrogation where the head of security asked her endless questions about her attack. The very seriousness which they treated the situation brought home the fact that she may still be in possible danger.

Jiminy and other tutors had appeared each day and taken up most of her time. She had so many lessons to learn about the history of Alleland, the history of her own people in Storybrooke, on deportment, foreign policy, diplomacy, even language.

Killian had introduced her to a woman who had been her mother's friend named Ruby. She had known her mother when she had been a bandit and lived in the woods while the Evil Queen tried to capture and kill her. Ruby was beautiful with dark hair dressed in red.

When Ruby saw her, she started crying, "Oh, Emma! It really is you. I haven't seen you since you were a toddler! You were such a sweet baby." Ruby came towards her and gave her a deep hug.

Emma's eyes started to water as well. She had a feeling had she had a normal life with her parents, this woman would have been a close part of that. They sat down and talked for a while. Ruby was gregarious, fun and chatty. She shared plenty of stories with her about her mother. Her official reason for meeting her was to be one of her tutors.

Ruby's task was to gossip with Emma, or at least that's how Emma saw it, for Ruby was instructed to apprise her of all current scandals so she wouldn't make the mistake of being friendly with anyone who was presently in disgrace.

"And then there is Lady Tremaine who was caught with one of the footmen and tried to get her stepdaughter shipped off to boarding school. Her husband had her banished to live in their country estate but every once in a while she comes back to court," Ruby explained a story of one of the court ladies.

Emma asked, "So, is there a lot of adultery in the court?"

"Well, as much as there is anywhere," Ruby said reluctantly.

Emma remembered a lot of tavern fights were started over affairs of the heart.

"I met Milah already and Killian ended things with her," Emma shared. She didn't want Ruby to be hesitant about mentioning Killian's affairs.

"That's wonderful, Emma. It sounds like he cares about you," Ruby asked. "How did meeting Milah come about? That must have been awkward."

"She met him when we came back, practically threw herself at him," Emma said still sounding disgruntled.

"She must have been feeling insecure," Ruby surmised. "And I don't blame her, you are beautiful. So Killian made things right with you then?"

"Yes and I promised to marry him regardless of the betrothal," Emma said.

"Sounds wonderful," Ruby said looking touched.

"It feels great to be with him," Emma said.

"When I heard about the betrothal, I was surprised. Your parents were true loves and I assumed they would want you to find your true love too and not have you betrothed," Ruby volunteered. "But I didn't speak of it because as long as it brought you back, that was all that mattered."

"So you don't think I was really betrothed to Killian?" Emma asked.

"It's not something your parents would do," Ruby said.

This information puzzled Emma. Why would the king make that up just for Killian to retrieve her? She put it out of her mind because first of all, she was grateful that Killian found her, even if she was being difficult at the time, and second of all, she promised to marry Killian anyway.

* * *

 

Killian was asked by his father for a meeting the day after he arrived at the palace. Killian knew his father had been apprised of his activities the second he arrived in Alleland.

"Well, my boy, I can see you're very happy with your bride to be," the king said with a twinkle in his eye. He was ecstatic with the way his future daughter-in-law turned out even if her upbringing upset him. "And is she happy with you?"

"Yes, father. She promised to marry me regardless of the betrothal," Killian declared.

"That's good to hear," the king said.

"And you wanted to just leave her there," the king chided.

"You knew what was best, father. I wouldn't have found the love of my life had I not listened to you."

"Thank goodness, you did listen to me," the king chortled. He was very pleased with this turn of events. It was more than he hoped for.

"So I had some very interesting reports," the king said. "Milah happened to meet your new bride to be and I'm sure that was quite unpleasant for Emma."

"It was handled, father," Killian said tightly. "I ended things officially with Milah."

"Then there was the sounds coming from your room that night with you and Emma. Do I need to elaborate?" the king said with a cocked eyebrow.

"She accepted my apology and knows she is the only woman for me," Killian said coolly.

"Hmpf. You're too smooth by a half, m'boy. But a smoother man would have avoided those situations entirely. Those noises the guards heard outside your door will not be heard as long as she stays under this roof until the wedding. Then you can make as much noise as you want during your wedding night."

Killian started getting exasperated. "I'm a man, not a saint," Killian growled.

"And no trying to sneak into her room which you tried last night, might I add, before the guards stopped you," the king admonished.

Killian's eyes widened in realization and then a look of irritation came over him.

The king continued, "We may be born to be rulers but it does not guarantee that we will rule in the future. Many kingdoms have been toppled and overthrown by disgruntled subjects and courtiers who favor another's rule at a whim. In order to prevent this, we make sure not to give anyone a show of weakness or sign of immorality or corruption that they can complain of, that includes anything untoward in the bedchamber too. You are going to have to practice hands off your bride-to-be until the wedding night. I won't have anyone gossiping about you two. They can gossip about how much time you spend in bed after you are married.

Killian thought, "Bloody hell, why not just set me on fire?"

"I understand, father," Killian said letting out a long sigh.

"Killian, rulers that have been overthrown have been beheaded or out rightly killed. You wouldn't want that to happen to Emma would you?" the king asked. He knew he was being a bit over the top but Killian needed this to be drilled into his head.

"Absolutely not. I love her. I would die for her," Killian said emphatically.

"That's wonderful news. I was hoping you two would hit it off and be as happy as your mother and I were. She's quite a beauty and she may outshine her parents' qualities," the king said delighted.

"She is exquisite in all ways," Killian agreed.

"Now, who among your crew that sailed with you knows Emma was brought up in a tavern?" the king asked.

"Will and Robin know. Jiminy was told. She is untouched, even by me," Killian confessed.

"Well, Will & Robin are loyal to you. Jiminy is Emma's parents' man and he would be loyal to Emma," the king pondered. "You say she is untouched, even though she was raised in a tavern?"

Killian told him about her elaborate disguise and manners that would discourage the patrons from taking an interest.

The king slapped his knee and laughed, "Well, I believe it! To your happiness!"

The king raised his glass in toast to Killian and Emma. Killian raised his glass in answer.

"I received more information about the attacker," the king informed. "It appears he has no heart."

Killian eyes grew wide, "So he is one of the Evil Queen's Heartless men."

The Evil Queen had removed the hearts of some of her soldiers so that they would go on and do her bidding even if she was gone. After Storybrooke got attacked, King Richard sent his own soldiers to hunt down the Heartless men. They were able to track down most of them but they were uncertain as to the number of men that had their hearts removed to do the Evil Queen's orders.

Killian spoke with the king at length until he was informed of all the events that happened in the kingdom while he was away, by the end he was itching to see Emma. As soon as he was dismissed, he went to seek her out.

He found her in the middle of one of her lessons and he asked to have a word. Emma gave him a quick hug and a kiss as soon as her tutor went into the other room.

"I would have spent the night with you, my love but I was stopped by your burly guards," Killian told her. Emma had been assigned a dozen big guards who worked in shifts, at least three guards per shift. They followed her everywhere and were specifically told by the king to not let Killian into her bedchamber alone.

"I take it there will be no sampling of the goods until you make a purchase?" Emma joked.

Killian laughed, "It'll be the longest three months of my life. Sometimes I wish I were a pirate, to have the freedom to sail the open seas. I would sweep you off your feet and sail away into the sunset."

"I could hoist your sail any time I want."

"I could ease myself into your port any time I want."

"Are we really making nautical euphemisms?"

"It just means we are perfect for each other."

Emma giggled and rested her forehead against Killian's.

"How about I take you to the theater?" Killian asked.

"I've never been to a theater," Emma said. "The closest was watching the puppet shows performed by tinkers passing through town."

"Perfect. I'll arrange it," Killian announced.

 

* * *

 

 

The strange brown-haired man didn't want to think about killing anyone but the words of the Evil Queen said long ago made him think about it. He reached the spot in his chest where his heart used to be, now empty. The urge was so strong, like an addiction, which compelled him to act out the wishes of the Queen. Kill Princess Emma. Destroy her happiness. These words kept telling him.

He had received word from his network of spies that Prince Killian went to retrieve Princess Emma from hiding. He knew it was a matter of time until she would be of marriageable age and she would be brought back to marry some other royalty. He knew King Richard was the type of old-fashioned king that felt royalty was special, royalty should wed royalty, and royalty should always be in power. He knew the king would be the one doing the arranging if Princess Emma should show, being a friend to Snow White and Prince Charming, so he patiently waited.

He finally got a message from one of his men that the princess arrived and he was going to attempt an assassination. After that he heard no word from his man and the princess returned to Verden, the capital city of Alleland. This meant the mission failed. Now it was his turn to attempt to kill her.

He traveled to Verden and rented a room with a kitchen. He went to different stores around Verden to buy different chemicals. When asked, he said they were for cleaning. He came home and brought all his ingredients into the kitchen. He washed a bowl and put it in the sink and poured glycerin into it. Gingerly, he began to add the mixed acids to the glycerin, stirring gently but constantly with the glass rod. Occasionally a wisp of reddish-brown smoke came off the bowl, a sign that the chemical reaction was beginning to get out of control; then he would stop adding acid, but carry on stirring, until the flow of water through the washbasin cooled the bowl and moderated the reaction. When the fumes were gone he waited a minute or two, then carried on mixing. He continued to mix the chemicals together in the right amounts, slowing down when he saw the chemicals get unstable, then resume.

When he finished he had a bowl of nitroglycerin. It was an explosive liquid twenty times as powerful as gunpowder. It could be detonated by a small incendiary device, but such a detonator was not essential, for it could also be set off by a lighted match or even the warmth from a nearby fire. He had known a foolish man who carried a bottle of nitroglycerin in the breast pocket of his coat until the heat of his body detonated it and killed him and three other people in the street. A bottle of nitroglycerin would explode if smashed, or just dropped on the floor, or shaken, or even jerked hard.

He filled his empty bottles with the dangerous substance very gently. He made sure there was no nitroglycerin between the neck and the stopper because if he were to cap the bottle he would explode into a million pieces.

He filled the sink with cold water and place gently the bottles of explosives in the sink. All day long he could have died with one wrong move but he wasn't afraid. The words of the Evil Queen kept coming back. Kill Princess Emma. Destroy her happiness. He didn't want to but what choice did he have?


	21. Chapter 21

He gently lifted the bottle of nitroglycerin out of the sink. He crossed the room as if he were walking on eggshells. His pillow was on the mattress. He had enlarged the rip until it was about six inches long, and now he put the bottle through the hole and into the pillow. He arranged the stuffing all around the bottle so that the bomb lay cocooned in shock-absorbing material. He picked up the pillow and, cradling it like a baby, placed it in his open rucksack. He closed it and breathed more easily.

He picked up the rucksack.

He went out.

The journey was a nightmare.

Walking was nerve-racking. Every second he visualized that brown glass bottle in its pillow; every time his foot hit the pavement he imagined the little shock wave which must travel up his body and down his arm to the case; in his mind he saw the molecules of nitroglycerin vibrating faster and faster under his hand.

He passed a woman washing the pavement in front of her house. He went by on the road, in case he should slip on the wet flagstones, and she jeered: "A-scared of getting your feet wet?"

Outside a factory a crowd of workers poured passed the gates at the beginning of working hours. He stood stock-still as they rushed all around him, jostling and talking.

Crossing the main road was a dance with death. He stood at the curb for five minutes, waiting for a good-sized gap in the stream of traffic of horses and carriages; and then he had to walk across so fast he was almost running.

He went to the street vendor to buy some food for the long wait ahead. He made sure to empty his bladder and intestines because he didn't know how long he would wait or where.

He pondered where he most likely would encounter the prince and princess. He had followed Prince Killian and Prince Liam in the past. Killian liked to frequent many public places such as restaurants, clubs, the racetrack and the theater. Liam liked to frequent the park and the theater. He decided to wait in the theater. A place where he had worked before so he knew many hiding places.

He crossed the street as quickly and carefully as he could and walked up the steps into the theater. He walked around the theater as if he worked there still. He found a private room with a cubby hole that was used to store extra equipment from sets and backdrops where he would hide. The entrance to the cubby hole looked like the wall so it was hard to spot. The private room was a place where important people would wait until the theater was filled until they entered their own balcony seats so they wouldn't have to fraternize with the public before the performance. If there was a room that Prince Killian would take Princess Emma before the performance, it would be this one.

It was still a few hours until the curtains would open. He would have a long wait ahead. He hid there for four days in a row only coming out in the mornings to get more food, empty his bladder and perform his ablutions. He was able to go in and out of theater without being detected.

On the fifth day, he climbed into the cubby-hole and waited.

When night time came, he heard voices and peeked out of his cubby. He saw Prince Killian and a blonde woman whom he assumed was Princess Emma enter the room he was in along with some other people. He remembered the Marquess Robin Loxley and Duke Will Scarlet. They seemed like honorable men. It was a shame they would die with them. Then a lady in red came in. He remembered her name as Ruby, a friend of Snow White's.

As soon as they were settled in the chairs, he climbed out the cubby-hole and took out the brown bottle.

 

* * *

 

 

Prince Killian had so far enjoyed his evening with his princess. They just had dinner with their friends and now it was time to enjoy the performance at the theater. They were led into the private room of the theater which had been checked out by security.

It was a lovely room with lavish furniture where everyone went to lounge on.

Killian saw a movement out of the corner of his eye and turned towards it. When he saw a strange brown-haired man coming out of a cubby hole, Killian spotted the brown bottle.

Killian grew sick with fear and immediately put his body between the man and Emma. He knew what the brown bottle most likely contained. Killian had read reports of extremists that carried around explosives in bottles for suicide bombings. If the bottle fell, they would all die. He wanted to live and be with Emma, their time together was too short and he did not want anyone to die in an instant of burning agony.

There was a long moment of silence. Nobody moved. Killian stared at the face of the man. It was a hard, determined face but not evil. The man almost seemed sorry.

Robin broke the silence. "Give yourself up," he said. "Put the bottle on the floor. Don't be a fool."

The man stood motionless, bottle raised high.

He swung back his arm and hurled the bottle at them.

Robin and Will threw themselves at Emma and Ruby trying to shield them with their bodies. The furniture thudded to the floor and their bodies lying flat. Killian realized in a flash that if the nitroglycerin exploded anywhere near them it would be no use to be lying flat.

The bottle turned over and over in the air as it flew at them. It was going to hit the floor five feet away from Killian. If it landed it would surely explode.

In a split second, Killian ran toward the flying bottle.


	22. Chapter 22

It descended in a flat arc. He reached for it with both hands. He caught it. His fingers seemed to slip on the glass. He fumbled it, panicking; he almost lost it; then he grasped it again -

"Don't slip! Please don't slip!" Killian desperately thought.

\- and like a goalkeeper catching a soccer ball he drew it to his body, cushioning it against his chest, and spun around in the direction of the bottle; then he lost his balance, and fell to his knees, sliding across the floor, and steadied himself, still holding the bottle, and thinking: I'm going to die.

Nothing happened.

The others stared at him, on his knees, cradling the bottle in his arms like a newborn baby.

Will turned pale and looked like he was about to faint.

The strange brown-haired man stared in amazement at Killian for a split second longer; then he turned and raced out the door.

"That was amazing. What a nerve, to catch that bottle!" Robin yelled.

Killian gave him an icy glare, being perfectly still, cradling the bottle.

"Shut up and open the window," Killian whispered desperately. He was afraid any noise would detonate the bomb.

Robin realized his error in shouting and crept stealthily towards the window. He opened the window and looked outside to see if there was anyone out there. Meanwhile, Will recovered and took Emma and Ruby out to the hallway. Emma protested, wanting to stay with Killian but Will continued to pull her out of harm's way.

"It's all clear," Robin nodded to Killian.

Killian needed to get rid of the unstable bomb. He got up carefully, moved towards the window, raised his hand gingerly and threw the bottle as far as he could out the window. They both ran for cover. They heard the explosion outside, the glass in the windows shattered and Killian sprang into action. He raced out of the room to catch the strange brown-haired man. The guards came as soon as they heard the loud explosion.

"Go after him!" Killian yelled at the guards. The guards had no idea who to go after but they went in the direction Killian was running.

Killian spotted the man going against the tide of the theatergoers coming in to watch the performance and slowing him down. The brown-haired man looked back to check who was following him.

Killian's eyes widened when he saw Will running after the man and Emma following right behind him.

His heart almost leapt into his throat. What if this man had another bomb? He didn't know if he could get lucky a second time.

"Emma!" Killian screamed. Will heard Killian calling out for Emma, turned around and tried to stop Emma from following the bomber. Emma sidestepped him and continued to pursue the dangerous man.

The brown haired man was pushed back by the crowd who thought he should wait until everyone entered before he exited which gave Emma a chance to tackle the man, in a ball gown no less. She gave him a right hook when she righted herself and the man fell like a pile of stone.

Killian reached Emma and pulled her back while the guards apprehended the bomber and took him away.

"Darling, are you alright?" Killian asked inspecting the knuckles of her right hand.

"Yes, I'm fine," Emma said breathing hard from running. "The brown bottle? I take it from the explosion it would have killed all of us."

"It was a bomb," Killian confirmed. "It's been detonated with no one hurt."

Emma collapsed against him with relief. "And you went to catch it?"

"It was our only chance," Killian said putting his arms around her, holding her.

"You're a brave man, Killian," she said placing a kiss on his neck. He felt her shivering from the adrenaline running through her body. He had to admit he was shaking too.

"And you're out of your mind to pursue the man," Killian scolded.

"I couldn't let him escape. He might have done more harm."

"Still, I won't allow you to place yourself in danger," Killian told her.

Will walked up to them. "I'm sorry Killian, I couldn't stop her," Will apologized for letting Emma near the bomber.

"I don't think anything can stop Emma if she puts her mind to it so I don't blame you," Killian let his friend know.

"That was the best right hook I've seen since Killian took down Gaston," Will added.

Emma smiled. "Thanks Will. I consider that quite a compliment."

The crowd started to gather around them to ask questions on how they are and what the explosion was. Some people surmised there was an attempted murder from the explosion they heard. The security detail surrounded them to take them back to the palace in case there was another attacker.

When they returned to the palace, Killian got her ice for her hand while security questioned them about the attack. Killian was going to let them do their job for now but he knew that the head of security would have to step down and the security guards that were lax in searching the room would have to be demoted. They needed to do their jobs more thoroughly.

Once security left, Killian took Emma in her arms and kissed her with all the passion a man could put into a kiss and she was kissing him back as if her life depended on it. His expert lips moved all over her face as if he couldn't get enough. He could hear her gasping as his mouth sucked on her neck and trailed kisses across her breasts.

Suddenly he heard the door open and his father, the king's, booming voice. They both separated to face the king.

"Are you both alright?" the king asked with concern.

"We are fine but maybe just a bit shaken up," Killian answered.

"I can see how you are getting over your frayed nerves," the king referred to their kissing.

"It helps," Killian offered. He knew the king would be informed right away of another attack.

"Why don't you both retire and try to get some rest," the king offered. "We'll talk about what we will do in the morning."

Even if it was a suggestion, it was really an order so Killian and Emma went to their separate bedchambers to sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

Emma kept turning in bed trying to get a good position to sleep. It didn't matter what position she turned, she kept seeing Killian catching the bottle filled with explosive material. He was beyond lucky that he wasn't in a million pieces and the thought of not being with Killian was making her heart sick.

She decided she needed to see him. Even if her guards wouldn't allow Killian into her bedchamber alone, that didn't mean they wouldn't allow her in Killian's bedchamber. She tied on a robe and walked out of her room. She felt the guards walking along side of her. When she got to Killian's door, her hand went to the handle and one of the guards touched her hand.

"Your highness is it wise to go into the Prince's bedchamber at this late hour?" the guard asked.

"I'm his fiancée, he wouldn't mind," Emma answered. With that, she walked right into his bedroom. The room was dark, only the fire from the fireplace illuminated the room.

As she got closer to Killian's canopied bed, she spied his form facing away from her, his dark hair tousled, his breathing was long and steady, his muscular back was bare, the blankets meagerly covering his narrow hips. Her eyes wandered where they would, a warm blush suffused her cheeks when she realized how forward she was gazing at his sleeping semi-nude body. She leaned over the bed as her eyes followed the lines of his buttocks past the blanket and all of a sudden his hand shot out to grab her arm. Emma gasped as she found herself being swept down over the man. Killian rolled to his side taking Emma with him, pulling her flush against him with an arm around her slender waist until she looked up and stared into his azure eyes.

"See something you like, darling?" Killian asked with a smirk.

"I couldn't sleep," Emma confessed. "I kept thinking of you and wanted to be near you."

She heard him suck in his breath when he heard those words from her lips. He stroked her face, lifted her hand to his cheek and kissed it tenderly.

"From the day's events, it makes you realize how fleeting life is," Killian ruminated, looking at her with burning blue eyes. "I want to be with you as much as possible too from now on."

He dipped his head and captured her lips with a long drawn out kiss that always overwhelmed her. She was aware of the manly feel of him and of a growing urgency to press closer.

"Before I start ravishing you, I need to talk to the guards to get them to keep quiet about you being an adorable little minx sneaking into my room," Killian got up to put on a robe.

He came back quickly. The guards dare not say anything after hearing of the security embarrassment of the near assassination earlier that night. Killian made them understand that his princess should not be alone after the terrifying ordeal she experienced.

He stripped off his clothes and crawled into bed with her. He looked at her with barely concealed lust as he enfolded her in his arms. She clung to him as his mouth seared her neck to her ear, her pulses racing. When his tongue swirled around her earlobe, she shivered deliciously. His mouth was on her as he slowly pushed her nightgown off her leaving her bare. She was breathless when he pulled back to give her a very thorough examination with his eyes and his hands.

His hand plumped up one breast to offer to his mouth while his other hand covered her other breast, flicking his thumb over her nipple. He was taking his time with her, turning her over, driving her crazy in his devotion of every inch of her, in particular the firm globes of her derriere, which he kneaded, kissed, and nipped until she thought she was going up in flames.

When he finally rolled her back over, it was the finger that moved into her that was her undoing. She cried out as his mouth covered her pussy, tasting her, his tongue moving over the tiny bundle of nerves. Wave after wave came crashing down on her until her body felt limp and satisfied.

She felt Killian's body travel upwards over her until he was nibbling gently at her lips. Once she recovered from her high, she reached for his crotch, feeling Killian tense his taut stomach muscles as she grasped his hardness. Emma recalled her lesson from one of the dancers on how to please a man and she followed her lessons to a tee. Killian’s masculinity brought out her brazen, adventurous side. She turned him on his back and made her way with her lips and tongue down his furred, hard chest. She kissed the tip of his member and slowly licked up the sides of his hardness. She watched Killian as he trembled and threw back his head with his mouth open, squeezing his eyes shut as she took him in her mouth. It seemed like he was fighting for control because he wanted the pleasure to last longer. Emma enjoyed the feeling of giving pleasure to him and the control she had over his body as she moved her lips up and down his hardness, restraining her teeth and swirling her tongue around his cock.

"My love, you feel so good," Killian gasped. "I don't think I can last much longer."

He gently moved her head off him but she still pumped his cock with her hand until he spurted onto his belly.

"Why didn't you let me swallow you, darling," Emma asked. "I wouldn't have minded."

Killian groaned at the thought of his delectable princess swallowing his seed but then he said with a smirk, "A gentleman never surprises a lady that way."

He got up to clean himself off and then crawled back into bed. Emma still dazed, lying next to Killian, couldn't believe that she could feel so much for one man. She held fast to the man who had shown her what her body was capable of and the heights of pleasure she could achieve. Feelings of gratitude and tenderness mixed with love made her want to thank him, kiss him, tell him how magnificent he was, how euphoric she felt now. She just continued to hold him, occasionally she caressed him, finally she kissed his shoulder so softly, he couldn't possibly have noticed. But he did, when he turned to her and showed her how much she meant to him.

They spent the rest of the night satisfying each other with their hands and mouths until they drifted off to sleep feeling weightless and numb with Emma's maidenhead still intact.

* * *

 

"Rumpelstiltskin, Rumpelstiltskin, Rumpelstiltskin" Milah said expecting to see the magical imp at any moment.

She heard the imp's insane giggle behind her and she whipped around to face him.

"Long time, no see, my dear Milah," Rumpelstiltskin said.

"Rumpel, I'd like to make a deal," Milah announced.

"Oh, getting right to the point, are we?" Rumpelstilstkin conjectured. "Before we get down to business, aren't you going to ask about our son?"

"Of course, how is Bae?" Milah asked out of propriety.

"He is well," Rumpelstiltskin said. "Wealth looks good on you."

Milah had made a deal with the Dark One to give him a child in exchange for a good life. She was sick and tired of working as a barmaid at a tavern. She dreamed of having a better life for herself. She came across the Dark One in his travels and was desperate to make a deal. At first when he heard her request, he did not see the merit in making an arrangement with an ordinary bar wench. What could she have that he would want? Until she offered to have his child for him.

He considered it. Maybe having a child would make his life less lonely and he had someone who could share his wealth and power. Someone he could marry off to a princess so he could finally be connected to royalty. He never wanted to be weak and powerless again. Having a son could solidify his power and he could have a person be his right hand man that he could trust.

The first time she lay with him, she thought she would be sick looking at his green scaly skin but when she became aware of how much power he wielded, she grew excited at the prospect of bedding him. She realized that she loved bedding men with power. Men who had the power of life or death, war or peace, wealth or poverty, turned her on. It didn't take her long to get pregnant. Once she had the baby, she happily gave him over to Rumpel while Rumpel made arrangements for her to marry a wealthy, aristocratic, powerful man.

Unfortunately, that man was seventy-two years old. She spent the first few years of married life with an old man and cursing Rumpelstiltskin for her fate until she was introduced to court. There she found out first hand the lascivious indulgences of court life and she drowned in its licentiousness. She had affairs left and right until she started plotting her way to become mistress to royalty. She nagged her husband to purchase a house in the city so she can stay near court while he took care of business at his country estate. It was a perfect situation for her. She could have her affairs while her husband stayed away.

Her dreams came true when she finally met Prince Killian. It was quite a fight against other women competing for his attention but she eventually triumphed in the end and had his last mistress ousted out of court by spreading lies about her infidelity to the Prince.

Unfortunately, her reign as mistress to a Prince came to an end with the appearance of Princess Emma. As soon as Milah saw how beautiful Emma was she had a feeling Killian would throw her over for his pretty princess. All her hard work would be for nothing. Milah was livid. She wasn't going to stand meekly by while her chances of becoming mistress to a future King were thwarted and be the laughingstock of the court.


	24. Chapter 24

Over the breakfast table, Killian couldn’t help but glance over at Emma several times remembering the intimate activities of the night before in his bed. Her response to his ardor was so enthusiastic and passionate that he couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have this incredible woman lying next to him. He remembered when she caressed him and kissed his shoulder so gently. He felt each and every little movement she made and was touched by her tenderness more than he could admit. He’d never felt anything like it and it was bloody well thrilling, frightening and joyous all at once.

 

When he saw Emma give him a coy smile, he could tell she was thinking about last night too. She finished her breakfast, gave him a kiss on the lips and whispered she was looking forward to seeing him later. His heart felt like it was doing flips in his chest as he watched her walk away to attend to her lessons. He realized how hard she working at her lessons to fit the role of a princess. In his eyes, even without the lessons, she was already the epitome of royalty.

 

He made his way to the security department to meet and speak to the new head of security. Her name was Mulan and he knew she would run the department like a tight ship. She wasn’t even in charge for a full twenty four hours when she had already changed and enforced new training schedules for the guards. When Killian arrived at the department, Mulan stood up and performed a bow to him and filled him in on the changes to security being made and more importantly, the debriefing of the two assassins that were in custody.

 

“We know already that the two assassins had their hearts taken by the evil Queen and followed her dictates. We found out some new information from the first assassin who attacked the princess in the residence outside of Tork. We found out where he was staying and found some of his effects and one ruby necklace,” Mulan said holding out the ruby necklace to Killian.

 

Killian recognized the necklace.

“This necklace belonged to my former mistress, Countess Milah,” Killian informed Mulan.

 

“Apparently, she had been seeing him while you were away. According to the neighbors, they were lovers and she used to visit him often,” Mulan said.

 

Killian never thought Milah would stay faithful to him but her seeing the assassin and the assassin having access to the house was too much of a coincidence.

 

“This is an interesting development,” Killian spoke. “Have you located Countess Milah yet?”

 

“She seems to have disappeared for now,” Mulan replied. “But my men are looking for her as we speak.”

 

“Any news on the latest assassin?” Killian asked.

 

“His name is Graham Humbert, a huntsman, that was taken by the Queen a long time ago,” Mulan replied. “He was given the task to kill Snow White and bring her heart back to the Queen but he let her go and tried to trick the queen by giving her a deer’s heart instead. When she found out his treachery she took his heart and made him her slave.”

 

“He looks about the right age for it,” Killian said. “I guess he is a tragic hero. He saved Snow White, thereby ensuring my princess was born but paid the price for it. Neither men should be put to death for their actions since it was not their own.”

 

By law, any person who harms, attempts to assassinate, plots to assassinate or kills a royal will have a trial and if the proof is overwhelming will be sentenced to death. Should there be enough evidence against Milah, she would be put to death as well.

* * *

 

“You have to help me, Rumple,” Milah pleaded. She was in chains in the dungeon of Rumple’s castle.

 

“From what you’ve told me, I might be harboring a fugitive and should hand you over to the Prince straightaway,” Rumple said delighted in tormenting her.

 

“No! Please! They will condemn me as a traitor,” Milah cried out. “I didn’t know he was one of the Heartless Men! I left one of my necklaces at his place, Killian will know it was me."

 

“No doubt you told him the news in your boudoir that the Prince would be retrieving Princess Emma, and he lay in wait until the day came when Emma arrived,” Rumple surmised. “Loose lips, sink ships, my dear. In your case, they might hang you for it.”

 

“I’ll do anything Rumple, please!” Milah begged. “Just get me out of this mess!”

 

She was desperate. She knew her lover, one of the Heartless men, wanted access to the house but never asked why. If the princess would be hurt or killed, it wouldn’t bother her conscience a bit so she just let him hide there and made sure to distract the servants and guards so they wouldn’t find him.

 

“Well, this is an interesting turn of events,” Rumple surmised. “I’ll have to think about it. In the meantime, you can enjoy the amenities of my dungeon.”

 

Rumplestiltskin slammed the door of her prison shut and cackled as he heard her cry out. He thought that this was an interesting turn of events and looked at all the angles in which he could somehow turn this in his favor. Milah meant nothing to him so he wouldn’t be doing any favors for her without something in return even if she was Bae’s mother. He thought of Bae and how his favorite concubine Belle was taking care of him. Belle was more of a mother to Bae than Milah ever would be.

 

His thoughts turned toward Prince Killian and Princess Emma. Now Princess Emma was interesting news. He remembered that her parents were indeed true love. If they were then Emma would be of important significance. He opened the door to his arsenal full of magical things and chose a special item that could be of use in this situation. He chortled in glee at the plan forming in his head.

* * *

 

Prince Killian wanted to spend the afternoon with Emma so he took her for a turn around the garden. He knew she would need a break from her lessons, fittings and meetings with dignitaries & nobles. The palace garden would be a safe place where she could go outdoors.

 

“I miss being outside,” Princess Emma said. “It’s a beautiful palace but I don’t want to be trapped here for the rest of my life, am I?”

 

“I could arrange for a trip to the countryside as long as security is prepared,” Killian offered. He didn’t want to make Emma feel like she was a beautiful bird trapped in a gilded cage, but at the same time he wanted her to be safe and more importantly, feel safe. “Perhaps we could visit your mother’s friends, the dwarves?”

 

“I’d like that very much Killian,” Emma said.

 

“Anything for my princess,” Killian answered clasping her closely to his side. He liked making her happy and would do anything to keep a smile on her face.

* * *

 

Milah remembered her instructions from the Dark One. He transformed her into one of Emma’s candidates for ladies in waiting, Alexandra the daughter of Princess Cinderella and Prince Thomas. The real Alexandra was back in her kingdom with a broken leg and had to put off her trip to Alleland but none of the people of Alleland knew that so she was the perfect disguise for Milah to gain entrance into the palace. As the carriage pulled up to the palace, she knew exactly where to go since she had been there many times before but she still felt extremely nervous being there. She was announced and escorted to chambers of her own to rest but the wait made her even more jittery. She was told by one of the court officials that she would be introduced to Princess Emma before the dinner hour so she had time to change and prepare for dinner. Milah changed into an evening gown, her nerves were on edge so she was startled when she heard a knock on her door. The court official showed her to a small drawing room where she could meet Princess Emma in private.

 

When Princess Emma walked in, she was as beautiful as Milah remembered. She forced a smile on her face and went forth to greet Princess Emma with a curtsy.

 

“It is an honor to meet you, your highness,” Milah said playing the part of a perfect princess.

 

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Alexandra,” Emma answered also giving her a curtsy due to her Alexandra’s princess station. Children of royalty were sometimes sent to allied kingdoms to foster good relations for a short amount of time.

 

“Come and sit so we can have a chat,” Emma said as she held out her hand. Milah realized this was it. All she needed to do was take her hand, say the incantation and let the ring Rumpelstiltskin gave her make contact with the princess.

 

Milah grasped the hand of Princess Emma and said the words, “Et vos eritis mihi, et ero ego tibi.”

 

Suddenly Milah felt like her whole being was being pulled through a narrow passageway and she ended up facing her own visage. When she looked at the mirror, the person staring back was Princess Emma. She didn’t know Rumple would pull a body switching spell on them. As much as she wanted to get out of the trouble she was in, she didn’t want to be another person, much less Princess Emma. It seemed she dug a deeper hole for herself. What a fool she was to trust the Dark One! Her anger made her snap and she backhanded her own face with Princess Emma in it.

 

“Guards! Help!” Milah screamed.


	25. Chapter 25

Emma was in shock lying on the floor after being backhanded by a person that looked like herself and was screaming for the guards. For a moment before she was hit and fell to the ground, she could have sworn the image staring back at her in the mirror in the room turned from Alexandra's to Milah's. It doesn't make sense, she thought. Any second the guards would burst in and take her away thinking she was Milah. Emma needed to act fast. Emma swept the legs of the other woman so she fell on her back then she grabbed the knife she always kept in the other woman's boot. Her boot.

As soon as the guards burst through the door, she grabbed the other woman twisted her arm behind her back until she stood up and held the knife to her throat.

"Stop or I'll slit her throat!" Emma yelled at the guards.

"Do as she says," Milah told the guards. As soon as Emma backed out of the room she threw Milah down to the ground so she could lock the door. Then she grabbed her again and pulled her through the hallway. Surprisingly the other woman was cooperating with her.

"Listen!" Milah said to Emma as they were running. "I don't want my body harmed any more than you would want your body harmed so I'm going to help you escape."

"Why the hell would I believe you when you are the one who did this!" Emma yelled.

"We need to go through the servants entrance!" Milah told her. "This way."

Milah pointed her way to a door that looked like part of the wall. Emma always wondered how servants got into and out of rooms without going through any of the main halls and now she knew there were other doorways they went through. Emma still holding Milah by her arm and her knife went through the servants' passageway hoping not to run into anyone. When they got to a staircase they heard a servant coming up the stairs and Emma looked around wildly for another exit until she felt a burst of pain in the back of her head and felt herself falling into a mound of soft fabric.

When Emma woke up it, she was covered in sheets lying in a cart and the cart was moving. When she peeked her head out, she realized she was in a laundry bin in the back of a horse drawn cart heading out of Verden. Her head hurt when her eyes adjusted to the sunlight. She wasn't sure how long she was out. She figured Milah knocked her in the back of the head when she wasn't looking and she somehow ended up in the palace laundry. She couldn't take her eyes off her for a second, that Milah. It was a while before the horse drawn cart stopped and the driver got out loosening the drawstrings of his pants most likely to take a piss in the woods.

Emma saw her opportunity to escape. She clamored out of the bin, hopped out of the cart and headed to the other side of the woods and hid behind a tree. She waited until the driver went on his way. She ran until she couldn't breathe anymore. The woods looked like her woods back home in Raratonga but she definitely wasn't as familiar with the terrain. She came upon a small pond and looked at her reflection staring back at her. How did Milah switch bodies with her? Did she have magic or did she have help? All these questions came rushing at her but she couldn't find any answers. She needed Killian but he was back at the palace where Milah was pretending to be her. She realized she was stupid to leave the palace but she panicked at the time. What if he kissed her not knowing it wasn't me, she thought? What if they got more intimate? All these thoughts gave her even more of a headache than the lump in her head courtesy of Milah.

Emma focused on what she had control over. She started gathering dry wood to start a fire and find a safe place to camp for the night. She was so used to having three meals a day and a comfortable place to sleep that camping in the middle of the woods seemed like a step down even though she did it plenty of times as a child and teenager. Maybe this was always where she would end up, no fancy palaces for her, she thought, feeling so helpless about her situation. All she could hope was that Killian knew her well enough to figure out that woman wasn't her.

Milah walked out of the servant's passageway after disposing Emma in the laundry bin and needed to think on her feet since the guards would eventually get out of the room she locked them in. She crossed quickly into many rooms hoping most of the servants were busy serving the dinner guests until she was at the other side of the palace and then she opened the window. She screamed, "Guards!"

Her guards got out of the room and sounded the alarm telling the rest of their team that Milah was in the palace. More guards came quickly to the sound of Milah's call. When the guards burst through the doorway, Milah pointed to the window and yelled, "She escaped out the window!"

One team of guards went to apprehend the woman who held a knife to the princess and the other team investigated the window and how a woman could climb out and down without breaking their neck and another team took what they thought was Princess Emma to a safer location.

Milah was escorted down a hallway when Killian came out of the room being notified of the commotion.

"Emma!" Killian shouted. "Are you alright? The guards told me Milah held a knife to your throat!"

Milah was enveloped in Killian's arms and she remembered what it was like to be with him. She hadn't always appreciated it at the time but he was a considerate lover. She had found pleasure many times with him and being with him now brought all those memories back for her.

Now she didn't know what to tell him or how to act like Emma. She must have been some spoiled princess back in Raratonga so she went with that.

"Oh Killian, it was awful!" Milah cried. "She held a knife to my throat, pushed me down and climbed out the window."

"Did she hurt you?" Killian asked overwrought with concern. "What did she say to you?"

"My arm will be filled with bruises," Milah said trying to sound petulant.

"I'll send a servant for ice for your bruises," Killian said. "But did she say anything else? Why she was here?"

"No."

"She just attacked you and held a knife to your throat?" Killian asked.

"How am I supposed to know what she wanted?" Milah screamed. "This was the most terrible attack I've had!"

Milah noticed Killian giving her a strange look.

"My love, we all almost exploded into a million pieces and an attack from one woman was the worst?" Killian pointed out.

Milah wondered what he was talking about. Was Emma attacked before? Emma was attacked by her lover before but she never knew why. If Emma's life is in danger, then her life is in danger. She needed to find some body-switching magic soon before she dies instead of Emma.

"I need to lie down, Killian," Milah tried to feign weakness. "I don't feel well."

"Of course, darling," Killian said in a concerned voice. "With all the stress you've had to deal with the past few days, you're probably already strained."

He led her to her bedchamber and stopped until one of her attendants took her into her room.

"Aren't you coming to my room?" Milah asked.

Killian jerked his head toward her guard and told her, "I'll see you tonight if you need me."

"Oh, I'll need you, Killian," Milah said alluringly. Killian then gave her a lascivious grin, bowed, turned and left.

Milah smiled and went into her room. She dismissed her attendant as soon as her dress was off. She prepared herself for a visit from Killian and went through Emma's things to find a negligee. She found a light pink silk with lace on the top. She put it on and prepared herself for a night of lovemaking with Killian. She couldn't wait to feel his hands and mouth on her. He was much more well-endowed than most of the men she had bedded in the past and he had always satisfied her.

After much time passed, she began to realize he may not appear. She wondered if he was just preoccupied or maybe they were not intimate in that way yet. Ha! The princess was a prim and proper virgin and Killian was gentleman enough to keep her that way until marriage. Or maybe they just aren't into each other like she had thought. Regardless, she was disappointed that she wouldn't get release tonight so she put out the lamp and went to sleep.


	26. Chapter 26

Killian lay awake waiting for Emma to come to his room. His father forbids the guards to allow Killian to enter Emma’s room alone to stop them from intimate activities before marriage but he forgot to order them not to let Emma into his room. It was a laughable oversight. However it wasn’t so funny that it was late in the evening and Emma hasn’t shown yet. He had been fantasizing having Emma in his bed all night long and he was getting antsy. He decided to get up and knock on her door to see what was keeping her but the guards still would not allow her to be disturbed. He stayed up half the night waiting for her and was disappointed and worried that she changed her mind.

 

It was finally early morning when he got up to dress so he can wait outside her chamber door to see her. He waited quite a while until she emerged from her bedchamber.

 

“Emma!” Killian exclaimed looking into her eyes to ascertain her mood. “How did you sleep?”

 

“Not well,” Milah said. “I was waiting for you all night.”

 

“You do remember why I can’t come into your room, don’t you?” Killian said worriedly.

 

“Yes, of course,” Milah replied unsteadily. “How silly of me to forget. Let’s go to breakfast, shall we?”

 

Killian held out his arm for her to take to escort her to the breakfast room. He couldn’t help but feel uneasy that she had been acting strangely since yesterday’s disturbance.

 

“Did anything strange happen yesterday? Something that you couldn’t explain?” Killian asked.

 

Milah froze and turned to him. “As a matter of fact, I don’t feel like myself.”

 

“Did she have a strange object on her or did she recite something?” Killian suspected magic may be involved in Emma’s strange behavior.

 

Milah looked down at her hand and saw that she wasn’t wearing the ring Rumpelstiltskin gave her, “She had a strange ring and when I touched it, I felt strange.”

“We need to know what happened and what the ring does,” Killian surmised.

 

“Is there some magic person or wizard we can ask?” Milah questioned.

 

“Usually fairies appear when things happen,” Killian furrowed his head in concentration.

 

“Isn’t there some wizard that we can go to?” Milah suggested. “Some magical imp, perhaps?”

 

“Jiminy has mentioned Rumpelstiltskin to you,” Killian stated. “Has he mentioned that the wizard would make a deal to help but the deal usually backfires, not in your favor but in his. We can’t go to him, my love.”

 

Killian thought Emma looked disappointed which puzzled him.

 

“When you felt threatened, did anything happen?” Killian questioned. He had been told that Emma may have magical abilities because her parents might have been true love. He had asked her when he met her if anything strange happened to her, anything magical. She had been vague but said there might have been.

“I felt scared, what do you think I felt?” Milah snapped.

 

Killian was definitely alarmed. He knew Emma to be a tough lass who tackled an assassin, how could she be scared of one woman. Then again the woman used to be his mistress and maybe there might be some personal reasons why she was testy. But she would never admit she was scared.

 

Killian decided to observe her the rest of the day. She flirted with him, acted coy with him, sometimes a look of panic crossed her face and was short with him every once in a while. In short, she did not act like the Emma he knew. The Emma he knew was more straightforward than this woman who looked like her.

 

After dinner he whispered in her ear, “Come to my bedroom tonight.”

 

She gave him a look filled with lust, “Of course, darling.”

 

He waited on the chaise lounge for Emma. When she walked through the door, she took off her robe ready to undress for him.

 

“Wait,” Killian stopped her. “Dance for me.”

 

Milah gulped and looked nervous.

 

“Dance?”

 

“Yes, when I first saw you, you were dancing,” Killian said. “It was what attracted me to you. Dance for me.”

 

Milah panicked.

 

“I really don’t feel like dancing tonight,” Milah said.

 

“I command you as your prince and future husband, dance for me,” Killian demanded in a firm voice that brooked no refusal.

 

Milah started moving and twirling thinking it was some stupid dance that princesses were taught.

 

“You can stop now,” Killian requested. “Come here.”

 

Milah approached him slowly and stepped between his knees. Killian quickly drew a dagger at her throat and snarled, “What the hell have you done with Emma?”

* * *

 

Emma decided to travel back to the palace to go to Killian. He was the only person who could help her. As she walked down the road back to Verden, she heard insane giggling in back of her. She whirled around to see a man with green sparkly skin.

 

“Who the hell are you?” Emma asked in a surprised voice.

 

“Your fairy godfather, princess,” Rumpelstiltskin said.

 

“I seriously doubt that,” Emma said. “How do you know I’m a princess?”

 

“I’m a magical creature. I can see your essence and you look like a walking talking lie,” Rumpelstiltskin replied slyly.

 

“Well, this walking, talking lie needs to go back to the palace.”

 

“What are you looking to do there? No one has magic there.”

 

“Let me guess, you do.”

 

“I can help you.”

 

“In exchange for what?” Emma asked crossing her arms in front of her.

 

“You’re a quick one!” Rumpelstiltskin exclaimed in surprise.

 

“I’ve just been around enough unsavory types to know when I’m talking to one,” Emma stated plainly.

 

“Been around the block, have you? I guess I’ll have to tread carefully with you,” Rumpelstiltskin said in a sing song voice. “I can switch you back to your former self and you can owe me a favor.”

“No way I’m making a deal with you,” Emma stated firmly.

 

“Fine! You want to go back to a palace? I’ll send you to one,” Rumpelstiltskin said with a snarl.

 

He waved his hand and poofed Emma away.

 

Emma felt magic encircle her in a cloud of red smoke and she found herself transported to a palace but it wasn’t the one she wanted to travel to. The palace she found herself in looked abandoned and decrepit. She looked around at the floor with a thick coating of dust, the door that looked like it was about to fall off its hinges and the torn banner in the back of two dust coated chairs. The chairs upon closer inspection looked like thrones and when she inspected the torn banner she saw the coat of arms. It was her family’s coat of arms. She realized she must be back at the palace in the Enchanted Forest!


	27. Chapter 27

Killian was becoming increasingly angrier by the minute at the woman in front of him, who looked like Emma but wasn't. He kept firing question after question at her. She was lying to him and kept telling him he was crazy.

"Milah? It is you, isn't it?" Killian growled. "I'd know your petulant, childish attitude anywhere. What have you done with Emma?"

"Emma is gone," Milah finally conceded. She was worn down by the questions and he didn't seem to let up until he got the answer he wanted.

"Where!" Killian yelled grabbing her by the hair at the nape and pointing a dagger at her belly.

"You don't want to harm your precious Emma's body, do you?" Milah said tauntingly, almost brushing against the dagger to test his reaction. He drew back the dagger as she moved towards it.

"So it's a body switching spell?" Killian surmised. "No wonder you want to see the Dark One. He is the only one with enough power to do that spell."

"I'll make a deal with you," Milah told him. "I will tell you everything if you promise to let me go once this is all over."

"Why should I trust you?" Killian snarled pulling her hair a little harder.

"Because your beautiful princess needs you and I'm your only way of getting to her," Milah wincing from the pain of his grip, tears forming in her eyes.

"If Emma suffers more than she already has, I will have you hunted and put to death," Killian vowed.

Milah shivered in fear at his words and the tone of his voice. She knew he was serious.

"Don't be like that! You need me! Is it a deal? Spare me once you get your precious Emma back safe and sound!" Milah's voice was rising, almost hysterical.

"Fine!" Killian unhappily conceded. He didn't want to waste any more time, he needed to find Emma and bring her back safe with him. "I'll let you go and you leave us alone and not set a foot into this kingdom for the rest of your miserable life!"

"Good!" Milah was relieved especially when he let go of her hair at her nape and the dagger was withdrawn. "I knocked her out and dumped her in the laundry bin in the servants hallway."

"When?"

"Yesterday," Milah answered.

"She could be anywhere now," Killian roared in frustration. He yelled for the guards and informed them what happened. He let the guards take custody of Milah. He dressed and waited for the head of security, General Mulan, to show up. The guards took Milah away to the high security prison area within the palace where she would be thoroughly questioned. Killian also sent for Ruby for her special werewolf skills.

Ruby came right away. Killian explained the situation to her and she was to track Milah's scent since Emma was in her body. Ruby remembered what Milah smelled like when she rubbed elbows with her at parties over the years. Usually her scent mingled with Killian's scent and sometimes some other man's scent, she always knew Milah was not a faithful royal mistress. Ruby went directly to the servant's hallway and down several flights of steps until they got to the place where the laundry was loaded and taken to a cart to be cleaned outside the city. Killian got his horse ready while Will and Robin came to join him along with a retinue of soldiers. They followed the path that the laundry carts usually take. Ruby came to a halt on the road where she got off her horse and followed a scent trail that led to a camp site.

Ruby told Killian, "Emma had stayed here overnight."

Killian nodded feeling a pang in his heart at how alone Emma must have felt. Ruby followed her trail until she came back to the road and then the trail disappeared. Ruby smelled another scent that sent chills up her spine.

"Rumpelstiltskin!" Ruby gasped. She would remember his scent anywhere. "He must have spoken to Emma and taken her somewhere! I lost her trail!"

Killian's heart clenched. Whatever Rumpelstiltskin wanted with his fiancée, he was up to no good and he hoped Emma would not be forced to make any deals with him. He was determined to travel to Rumpelstiltskin's castle to find his love and take her back. He wouldn't stop until Emma was back by his side. Already he was feeling her absence, like there was a hole in his heart that only her presence could fill.

* * *

 

Emma decided to explore the castle wondering what it would be like if she was raised here as a princess. She remembered growing up as a child her lifestyle was far from being a princess. She only learned what it was like to live as a princess in the last few months. Despite the nice clothes, three meals a day, a comfortable bed and a handsome prince (which was the best part), the position also had plenty of responsibilities that need a lot of decision-making skills as she was learning daily. She went up the stairs to explore some of the bedrooms. She found a grand bedroom that most likely belonged to her parents. The four poster bed was stripped bare and probably would have been stolen if it wasn't so heavy. She went to the balcony testing the sturdiness before stepping out and looked at the view. Most likely her parents would have seen the same beautiful view so many years ago of mountains, lakes and forests.

She retreated and walked out of the room to explore other rooms. Everything was bare and dirty. She came to a room at the end of the hall that had a big, heavy bureau and a heavy crib. This was probably her crib where she slept and played. A mural on the wall showed a family portrait of her parents and her as a baby in front of a castle with knights and naval men and some other villagers. On another wall, a picture of her smiling and happily being tossed in the air by what looked like a dwarf surrounded by six other dwarves. Buttercups that looked like the mark on her arm bordered the top of her walls. There were other pictures of her posing with other characters on her walls and it must have been people that were friends and supporters of her parents. She started to get teary-eyed at what she had missed, the love and support of all these people. She wiped her tears away scolding herself for looking at what might have been instead of focusing on what will be. She had a chance at starting over if she were ever to figure out a way to switch herself back with Milah.

As she left her room and made her way downstairs, she heard a noise. She took her dagger from her boot and went to investigate the noise. A dark haired man came into the main hall and brought what looked like plenty of supplies. While Emma watched from the top of the stairs, he started cleaning the floor in the middle of the room. Once the floor was sufficiently clean, he started measuring and drawing circles in a pattern. He kept going back to a book to follow the directions for the circles. Once he drew the circles he started to fill it in with paint. This took three hours but Emma was so engrossed in what he was doing she didn't realize how much time passed. As soon as he was finished, the circular pattern looked like a labyrinth. He then placed objects in four points of the labyrinth. He then went to the middle of the labyrinth and put a bowl with some ingredients in it. He started reciting some foreign words that Emma didn't recognize and set the ingredients on fire. The flames started burning brighter and brighter as he recited the words and as soon as he finished – nothing happened. He decided to recite the words again and then – nothing happened.

"No!" the man screamed. "This has to work!"

The man was so frustrated he knocked over the bowl in anger. He grabbed his book, left the hall and slammed the door on his way out.

Emma stepped out to inspect his work. What was he trying to do? Some sort of magic ritual? She wondered. She decided to leave by using the back entrance so she wouldn't bump into the man. She needed to do some hunting and berry gathering so she could have something to eat. She hadn't eaten since lunchtime the day before and she was getting hungry. She would come back later to check out what he was up to.


	28. Chapter 28

She wondered if she grew up as a princess if she would have had the skills to catch wild game, skin it and roast it. She walked back to the castle with some berries and edible plants that she tied up in a ripped petticoat to take back with her for a snack or breakfast the next day. She decided to sleep in the castle stables in case the strange man came back to the castle.

As she was gathering up hay for a makeshift bed, she couldn't help but think about Killian and if he would know that the woman in her body was not her. What if he didn't know it was her and she went to his bed? A pain tore through her chest at the thought of him being intimate with her. It was her body, but not really her. She would probably be able to forgive him if he did because he was unaware but those thoughts would always come unbidden into her mind and cause a pang in her heart. There was nothing she could do about it now but try to find a map and make her way back to Alleland. It was a long time before her mind could find sleep.

When she did drift into the state of altered consciousness, she dreamed she was back in the tavern cleaning when she heard a noise from upstairs. She figured it was some patrons that snuck upstairs to fool around. When she got to the bedroom, she saw Milah dressed in her dance costume doing a dance for Killian. Killian's eyes were glazed over with lust looking at Milah. Then she came over to him to rub her body all over him and give him an open-mouth kiss which he enthusiastically returned. Emma tried to move but she couldn't. She wanted to stop them but her limbs were so heavy she couldn't even take a step. Then they turned to her and taunted her, telling her she would never be the princess he wanted that this was what he truly wanted. Emma cried out in her sleep and woke up. As she tried to force her mind into believing it was just a dream, she saw the face of the strange man that had performed a ritual in the castle, peeking through the stable window, watching her.

He waved at her and yelled through the window, "Are you okay? I was passing by and couldn't help but overhear you having a nightmare."

She grabbed her dagger, stood up quickly, pointing the dagger at him and said, "Don't come any closer!"

"Well, that's going to be hard since you locked the door. I'm sorry if I frightened you. My name is Walsh."

"Well Walsh, you stay on your side of the door and I'll stay on mine and everything will be fine," Emma warned.

"That's perfectly understandable," he said with a smile. "I'm just staying at the abandoned castle, temporarily, until I can find my way home. Goodnight!"

With a wave, he left the window. She slumped back in relief that she found the lock but the wood was so old that all you needed was a good push to break through. She was thankful he didn't try that. He seemed nice but looks could be deceiving. She would need to find another place to stay. She tried getting another few more hours of sleep until sunrise.

When she awoke, she knew she needed to find a map or something to find her way out of there. She remembered from her lessons with Jiminy that the people feared the Evil Queen and left the Enchanted Forest to settle in lands nearby. She would have to travel a long ways before she found civilization. As long as she stuck to the road and avoided any lone travelers she figured she would be safe. As she passed the abandoned castle on the way to the road, she gazed longingly at the castle that would have been her birthright and a place where she could call home in the future. That is, if she had a future.

Suddenly, she saw what looked like a big bird from a distance and it looked like it was headed toward the castle. As it flew closer, she thought she was seeing things. It was a bird but had the body of a monkey. Emma quickly ran for cover in the woods. She watched the monkey land at the entrance and pushed open the doors.

Then she heard screams, "No! You can't take me back!"

The monkey let out a big shriek and she heard scuffling. Emma knew from the sounds they made that there was a major fight. She couldn't just stand by and let it happen. She took out her dagger, darted across the courtyard and stood behind the door to peek in. Walsh was fighting the airborne monkey with a sword, slashing and hacking at the claws that threaten to tear him apart. Finally, the flying monkey flew through the window knocking away additional broken panes.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked Walsh. Her dagger still pointed at him.

"Not really," Walsh said with his shoulders sagging. "She'll be here at any moment."

"Who?" Emma asked.

"Zelena, the witch who imprisoned me," Walsh said. "You better leave now or…"

"Too late, my pet," said a woman with green skin that appeared out of nowhere. Emma was afraid and bewildered at the woman that appeared out of nowhere, just like Rumpelstiltskin.

When Zelena saw the drawing on the floor, she looked up at Walsh, "Are you trying to create a portal?"

She laughed and continued, "Only special people with magic can create portals." Her manner was taunting him.

"I am determined to go home," Walsh said resolutely.

"Well, you won't be going anywhere unless I tell you." She noticed Emma. "And who is this?"

"No one," Walsh answered. "Just someone lost." He moved in front of Emma, blocking her.

"Who are you?" Zelena asked Emma while waving her hand which made an invisible force push Walsh to the floor. Zelena peered at Emma strangely, "Why does your energy look so…. disjointed?"

"That's none of your business," Emma replied adopting a pretense of bravado now pointing her dagger at Zelena.

"None of my business?" Zelena laughed. "I won't put up with an inconsequential, impudent bitch telling me what my business is!"

Suddenly, she appeared in front of Emma, knocking her dagger away and plunging a hand into Emma's chest. For a split second, Emma looked down in sheer terror. She couldn't believe that Zelena actually stuck a hand into her chest feeling for what she thought was her heart. Emma felt horrified, scared and then rage at this woman who thought nothing of putting her hand in her chest most likely to try and kill her. From that rage, she felt what seemed like energy started to build in her. Outrage that someone would violate her helped ignite a force in her.

When Zelena found her heart, she tried to grasp it and pull it out but she couldn't. She looked perplexed at Emma, then tried to pull it out again but it was stuck. Finally the energy that Emma felt inside her surged out of her body and a white light propelled Zelena across the room. Zelena bounced off a wall and landed on the floor.

"You have magic?" Walsh asked as he looked at a stunned Emma.

"What the hell just happened?" Emma stood there in complete shock, her hand grabbing at her chest where Zelena stuck her hand in.

Zelena stood up and stared in fear at Emma. She then disappeared in a poof of smoke.

Emma started shaking after the encounter with Zelena. Her nerves were fried, her heart was pumping a mile a minute and she was breathing hard.

"I have no idea where that came from," Emma said gasping for air.

She realized it happened again. Something strange would happen whenever she feared for her life. Once when she was a little girl, a horse drawn carriage almost ran over her in the street and she squeezed her eyes shut wishing she was somewhere else and when she opened them she was in her favorite hiding place in the woods as if her wish came true. Several onlookers wondered if she was stuck underneath the wheels of the carriage which was the only explanation for her disappearing right before their eyes. They passed it off thinking Emma was just amazingly agile and managed to jump out of the way of the horses hooves and oncoming coach.

She may have magic, she thought.

"Zelena will not bother us for a while," Walsh said. "I guess I should thank you for frightening her off. She would have taken me back to be her pet again."

"She imprisoned you?" Emma asked still out of breath from her horrible encounter.

"Yes but I managed to get away," Walsh answered. "I came here to create a magic portal to find my way home."

"So that's what you were doing," Emma surmised.

"You look shaken, why don't you sit down?" Walsh offered.

Emma stepped into the hall and sat down on the floor feeling weak. Walsh poured two cups of water and handed her a cup of water along with a biscuit to revive her. Emma didn't drink or eat until Walsh started to drink and eat too. Emma felt it was safe so she took a long swallow and nibbled on the biscuit. She started to feel better and thought about his situation. She could relate to just wanting to go home. He must have been stolen away from his home just like Emma was forced away from hers. She realized that she thought of Killian and the castle in Verden as her home and she felt a pang of sadness.

"So if you need a magic person to create a portal, I could try to help you," Emma offered.

"You could help me?" Walsh asked hopefully.

Emma felt if she could help him get home then that could give her hope that she could get home.

"I'm not making any promises, I don't know how this magic stuff works but I can try," Emma answered.

"That would be great," Walsh said smiling at her. He started making the preparations for the magic spell while Emma continued her rest. She figured she would need it for the spell later.

Emma spoke with Walsh for quite a while as he got the ingredients together.

"I come from a place called Kansas," Walsh told her.

"Never heard of it," Emma replied.

"That's because it's in a different realm," Walsh explained. He held out a glass vial that contained some sparkly dirt, "This dust is the remains of a magic bean and a reconstitution spell needs to be performed in order for the magic bean to work. Once that works, the magic bean re-forms and I use it to get home."

"And a magic bean does what?

"A magic bean can open up a portal to my realm. As I jump in, I think of home and the portal takes me there."

"This was the spot where a magic portal opened up before so I figured if I harnessed the residue magic, it could help me with the spell," Walsh continued to explain. "It didn't work. Maybe there wasn't enough."

Emma figured out that this spot was most likely was where her parents were thrown into the portal. She wondered if they could come back that way.

"Okay it's ready," Walsh said excitedly. "You need to say these words when you set fire to these ingredients. Then say these words when the ingredients are together."

Walsh gave her a piece of paper with the words he wanted her to recite.

"Then once you see a swirl of energy in the bowl, that's when you know the spell is working," Walsh explained. "Once the spell works you empty the vial into the bowl and then hopefully the portal will work."

"Do I need to get out of the way when it starts to work?

"Definitely or you might get sucked into the portal. By the way, I never got your name," Walsh inquired.

Emma wasn't sure what to tell him. If the portal worked he would be gone anyway.

"Emma. It's Emma."

"Nice to meet you, Emma. And thank you, if I don't get the chance to say it later," Walsh said with a small smile.

It was time to start the magic spell. All the items were in place. Emma recited the words, threw the ingredients in the bowl and set fire to it. The fire burned brighter when she said the words. Then she saw the magic swirl. She got excited when it began to work. She emptied the sparkly dirt into the swirl and then she turned to run out of the diagram on the floor when she thought of her parents and how she wished she could have met them. This was the place where they fell through and left this realm. Maybe they could somehow come back this way.

When the small swirl turned gradually built into a swirling vortex, Walsh wasn't even visible being lost in the middle of it. She felt the energy of the vortex almost pushed her further out. Finally in a quick rush the vortex died down and Emma saw three people standing in the middle of it. Walsh, a dark-haired woman and a light-haired man looked around the room with a bewildered expression. Both strangers looked to be middle-aged and were wearing peculiar clothes. They were certainly not of this realm.

The dark-haired woman turned to the light-haired man and said, "We're back."


	29. Chapter 29

He pushed his horse through the woods, over hills, through mountain passes, across streams until he finally arrived at his destination, the Dark One's castle. Killian was alone when he alighted from his horse. He had left the Alleland under cloak of night, only leaving a note behind that he left to find Princess Emma. He knew he needed to deal with Rumpelstiltskin alone and not have anyone that the Dark One could threaten to kill. He knocked on the Dark One's door and a beautiful woman with red curls answered.

"Belle!" Killian recognized Belle as a princess from another land. "What are you doing here?"

"The news hasn't spread to Alleland yet?" Belle asked. "I traded myself so the Dark One can assist my father against the ogres. I am Rumpelstiltskin's servant now."

"Belle, if I had known, I would have-," Killian started.

Belle interrupted, "No, I made a deal fair and square. The ogres have not attacked my land since I came into his service."

"If there's anything I can do, you need just ask," Killian offered.

"That's kind of you Prince Killian. Come in," Belle inviting Killian inside. "I'm sure you're here to speak to Rumple."

"Yes, has he spoken of Princess Emma?" Killian asked hoping to get information out of Belle about Emma.

"Princess Emma? No, I've not heard of her," Belle answered.

"Why would you ask her? I don't go around gossiping with the servants," Rumpelstiltskin appearing out of nowhere, said. Killian was on his guard because dealing with the Dark One was a very tricky endeavor.

"Why did you do a switching spell on Emma and Milah?" Killian demanded.

"Well, hello to you too. Whatever happened to the niceties?"Rumple replied. "Belle, you can leave us now."

"You are the only one with enough power to do a switching spell and I want to know why you would do that to my princess."

"My feelings are rather hurt that you would accuse me of messing with your princess. Why don't we discuss this like gentleman and have a seat?" Rumple asked. Killian was reluctant but he wanted answers so he sat down at Rumple's long table with Rumple seated at the head.

"So let me get this straight, you think I switched bodies with your princess and your mistress?" Rumpled mused. "What would I have to gain by doing that?"

"You tell me," Killian said in a tight, controlled voice. "And Milah is no longer my mistress."

"So you gave her up for your princess? What else would you give up? Your life?" Rumple asked in a sinister voice.

"My life isn't worth living if she is not in it," Killian replied.

"Oh, how love just makes me giddy," Rumple said twiddling his fingers. "I can help you but for a price."

"I'm not making any deals with you, Dark One," Killian knew his staunch refusal was taking a risk. "Anyone who makes a deal with you goes from bad to worse. I just want to you to undo what you did."

"You still think it was me?"

"Wasn't it?" Killian replied.

"I can't help you then," Rumple answered. "There's no point in doing anything for free. I'd have people knocking down my door for favors and not get a moment's peace."

"And Belle. When are you letting her go?" Killian asked.

"Now, why would I let a perfectly good servant go?"

"She doesn't belong here."

"Where you think she belongs is irrelevant. Good-bye, Prince Killian." With a wave of his hand, Killian found himself standing outside of Rumplestiltskin's castle.

He didn't think Rumple would just help him out of the goodness of his heart but Killian hoped there was something that he could learn about the Dark One that could help him get to Emma wherever she was. While he was in Rumple's castle, he looked for points of entry and exits, scanning the layout of the castle, anything that could possibly help him get him in his castle if he needs to. He started walking towards his horse when a small boy playing near the stables caught his eye.

He went up to the little boy and introduced himself, "Hello! I'm Prince Killian of Alleland. And who might you be?"

"My name is Baelfire," said a young boy, playing outside the castle. "I'm the son of Rumpelstiltskin."

Killian found that information very interesting.

"What are you doing out here?" Killian inquired. "Does your father know where you are?"

"No, I snuck out. My father doesn't allow me to go outside the castle but I was bored," Baelfire said.

"Do you have anyone to play with?" Killian asked.

"Just Belle, but she's usually busy cleaning," Baelfire answered.

"Does your father send you to school?"

"Belle tutors me in between her cleaning sessions. I would love to go to school but papa won't let me."

"Why not?"

"Because my papa says he has a lot of enemies and wouldn't want me to fall into their clutches."

Killian thought about it. Kidnapping Baelfire for leverage could help him get Emma back but that would really rouse the ire of the Dark One. He may not escape with his life. He was better off befriending the young boy and trying to get more information from him.

"Baelfire, did you have any visitors recently, a woman perhaps, with dark hair?"

"There was a woman in the dungeon named Milah four days ago."

Killian thought boys as young as Baelfire shouldn't know about anyone being in a dungeon, but this confirmed that Rumpelstiltskin had something to do with Emma's predicament.

"What were they talking about?"

"She wanted my father to help her with something and my papa wasn't sure if he wanted to and then he left her in the dungeon."

"Is that same woman still here?"

"No, she dressed up all fancy and left in a carriage," Baelfire said. "Are you looking for that woman?"

"Yes, she is in trouble and I want to help her," Killian answered. "Actually there is something you could do to help me. Do you want to be a hero and save the damsel in distress?"

"I've always wanted to be a hero," Baelfire exclaimed.

"Could you ask Belle if she could go into your papa's library and look up body switching spells?"

"Yeah that's easy."

"We need someplace to meet. Do you think you could sneak out of the castle again?"

"Sure this place has so many secret passageways."

Killian thought that was good to know. "How about you sneak out tomorrow and meet me at the gate?"

"Okay."

"You're a hero already, mate," Killian said as he ruffled his hair. "I'll see you tomorrow, Baelfire."

"Bye, Prince Killian."

Killian thought kidnapping Baelfire would be a last resort if there was no other alternative. He now knew that Rumpelstiltskin did the body switching spell but what he didn't know was why and he needed to know that to get to the bottom of the problem or else there would always be trouble on the horizon.

Killian made his way to the nearest tavern where he sat alone and nursed his ale. He would have preferred rum but it was too strong and he needed his wits about him. He listened for any conversation that could give him any information for where Emma was. His mind drifted towards her. He misses her so much like there's an ache in his heart that won't go away.

The next morning Killian went to the Dark One's stables where he found both Baelfire and Belle.

"Killian!" Bae greeted him.

"Killian!" Belle called out to get his attention. "Bae tells me you're looking for body switching spells. Has the Dark One done something?"

"Yes, he switched my fiancé, Emma, with my ex-mistress, Milah," Killian said.

"Well, that's awfully awkward," Belle commented. "But do you know if the spell had to do with an object or a spell or a potion?"

"There was a ring involved," Killian confirmed.

"Did it look like this?" Belled showed him a drawing of the ring that is currently on Milah's hand.

"Yes, that's the one," Killian answered.

"Then you need to take the ring and imbue it with magic from a magical person, or waters with restorative properties. Once there's magic in the ring you can say these words," Belle wrote down words. "Et vos eritis mihi, et ero ego tibi."

"Thank you, Belle, I really appreciate it," Killian said, then he added," If you need any help at all-"

"If I can help anyone from having access to the Dark One's castle, then I'll do it," Belle said trying to ease his mind about her servitude to Rumpelstiltskin. "I'm here for my people."

"You're a brave lass, Belle," Killian said. "Much like my Emma."

"Well, I hope the spell works," Belle said.

"Now all I have to do is find her," Killian said. "The Dark One took her someplace and I've no clue where to find her."

"You've heard of the Good Witch in the North Woods, right?" Belle told him.

"I've heard of some magical being there," Killian tried to remember the stories.

"She has mirror magic and is powerful enough to show you where she is," Belle exclaimed. "You just need to give her a token in exchange."

"What kind of token?"

"Well, here," Belle took out what looked like a box with writing on it. "It's a box that contains magical charms. I use it to move heavy objects so I can clean under them. I have a spare I can use so you can give that to the Good Witch."

"Belle. Bae. I don't know how to thank you," Killian said overwhelmed at her generosity.

"Just get your Emma back," Belle answered.

"Can you come back and pay us a visit?" Bae asked.

"I'll surely try to, Bae," Killian answered.

"Good luck, Killian," Belle said bidding him farewell.

"It was nice meeting you, Killian," Bae saying good-bye.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, little sir," Killian said. "Belle, send me a note if you need anything."

Killian shook hands with them and got on his horse to head north to the Good Witch of the North Woods.

Belle turned to Bae, "Let's not mention this in the castle, okay?"

"I won't."

"How about you run along to the library and we can start your lessons."

"Can't I just play a little longer?" Bae pleaded.

"No, it's study time," Belle said firmly. Bae turned to go inside the castle and to the library.

As soon as both Killian and Bae were out of sight, Belle magically turned back into Rumpelstiltskin. He let out a maniacal laugh, delighting in how he tricked Killian, hoping his plan would work.


	30. Chapter 30

“Very interesting,” Zelena said as she looked in her magic mirror.

 

She had seen two people come out of the portal that her pet monkey, Walsh tried to open. She remembered their faces, although somewhat older, of Snow White and Prince Charming whom her dear sister Regina tried to vanquish.

 

Regina never did have the killing instinct when it came to her step-daughter. She could have easily killed her many times but always held back on delivering the killing blow. Maybe the same reason Regina could never kill Snow White was the same reason why Zelena could not kill Regina. There was still a tie there, a connection. She could however, make her really unhappy. She went down to her dungeon of a castle that she took over from some royal she killed long ago and unlocked one of the doors.

 

Zelena stepped into the prison that held her sister. Her sister was lying on a raised dais on her back with her hands crossed and resting on her waist in quiet repose. Zelena put Regina under a sleeping curse but one that would allow the cursed one to be aware and hear what was going on around them as if they were frozen and couldn’t move. It was one of the worst sleeping curses imaginable. What could be a worse fate than being trapped inside your own body? The only bonus of the sleeping curse is that the cursed one didn’t age so Regina looked the same as the day she was cursed while Zelena aged.

 

“Regina, you wouldn’t believe what I saw today,” Zelena said excitedly.

 

Regina lying there would have said, if she could, “I’m sure I couldn’t possibly care less.”

 

“Snow White and her Prince Charming are back!” Zelena taunted. “Remember I told you that their darling little girl was taken out of hiding and is to wed Prince Killian of Alleland? Well, they are back just in time for the wedding, to celebrate a happy day! Isn’t that wonderful, sis?”

 

Regina was enraged but it didn’t register on her face. Zelena knew it though deep down how angry she would have been had she been awake.

 

“Oh, and just in case you were wondering, it wasn’t me who brought them back, dearest,” Zelena answered with a small grin. “Apparently there is someone with enough magic to bring them back through a magic portal.”

 

“Who?” Regina wondered.

 

“I don’t bloody well know who but I definitely need to find out” Zelena said, talking not to Regina but to herself, her mind spinning its wheels. “It’s never good to have a magical do-gooder hanging around, nor is it good to have another villain.”

 

Regina in her mind was screaming, “I need to get out of here! I’m in hell!”

 

“I have to get back to my voyeurism,” Zelena said, “Sorry, I couldn’t stay longer this time. You’ll just have to find something else to occupy your time. Toodles, sis!”

 

Zelena left. The sounds of her cackling reverberated through the walls at the joke she made at Regina’s expense.

 

* * *

 

 

Killian rode his horse long and hard until he reached the North Woods. He alighted from his mount when he reached the place where he had heard the Good Witch resided. It was said that a person with a pure heart could only find where she lived. He walked for a while until he saw branches of a vine that were weaved together forming an arch. It was rather a strange sight to see. He decided to walk under the arch when he found himself in the middle of a luxurious-looking great hall. He looked behind him and saw a door with an arch similar in size to the weaved vines. He walked further into the hall when he heard a voice coming from a woman sitting on a big silver chair at the end of the hall beckoning him closer.

 

“Prince Killian of Alleland, welcome to my humble abode,” the Good Witch of the North said.

 

“I’m glad to have such a pleasant reception, Good Witch,” Killian answered with a deep bow.

 

“Call me Locasta, please,” the Good Witch granted. “What of my services do you require, Prince Killian?”

 

“I’m here to find my fiancé, Princess Emma,” Killian said. “A woman named Milah switched bodies with her and she was transported by the Dark One to who knows where.”

 

Killian looked down feeling anguished and in a voice that was just above a whisper, “I love her and I want her back. A princess named Belle who was forced to be a servant of the Dark One told me you could help.”

 

Killian looked up at her, hoping to see a response in her eyes that would give him what he was hoping for. His desperation must have shown in his eyes because Locasta’s eyes softened in sympathy.

 

“Of course I can help,” Locasta reached out to take his hand. Killian put his hand in hers and she waved her hands producing a mirror. “Concentrate on your love.”

 

He closed his eyes and remembered how he felt when she was with him. Not just her image but what he could feel of her spirit, her essence. He channeled the love he felt for Emma into Locasta’s hands as she tried to conjure an image. He opened his eyes to see an image of Milah who was really Emma in the mirror with three other people. One of the two men he didn’t recognize but the other one he knew he had seen him before. Then his gaze went to the other dark haired woman and realized it was Snow White and Charming. Emma’s parents! He was paralyzed with fear at the thought of Emma in another realm where he couldn’t get to her. He looked closely and gathered from the setting that they were back in their abandoned castle in the Enchanted Forest. Her parents came back from the other realm!

 

“I can’t believe it,” Killian stared at their images with disbelief. “Snow White and Charming, they’re back in the Enchanted Forest!”

 

“So it would seem,” Locasta said also incredulous at what she was seeing. “Emma is the product of true love so it’s possible she has magic, she probably brought them back.”

 

“I need to get to her,” Killian said. He saw Emma’s hand on the shoulder of the stranger trying to comfort him. He felt an irrational pang of jealousy. He reminded himself that Emma had a kind, compassionate nature that probably wanted to help a stranger. He had a strong urge to leave right away.

 

“Thank you, Locasta. Belle gave me this to give to you as a token of appreciation.”

 

He took the box with writing on it out of his satchel and handed it to her.

 

“There was no need to give gifts but it would be rude of me to refuse,” Locasta commented accepting the gift.

 

Killian thought that was strange and he felt uncertain of leaving that in her hands considering it was from the Dark One’s castle, but he dismissed it because it came from Belle.

 

“Just let me know if you found your princess, Prince Killian,” Locasta asked.

 

“I’ll be back to let you know,” Killian said. He left her great hall to walk under the arch and he was back in the North Woods again. He mounted his horse and rode towards the Enchanted Forest.

 

As soon as Killian left, Locasta peered at the box. She waved her hand over it to open the box and all of a sudden something sucked her into the box. While the box was sucking the magical being of the Good Witch of the North Woods into the box, it was also expelling something out from the other side of the box. It was another magical being, a genie.

 

The great hall of the Witch of the North Woods disappeared and it was a forest once more. The genie glanced around, happiness etched in his face because he was free. He didn’t care where he was; only that he was relieved of being outside that box. He started to run and stretch his legs because he had not stretched them in years, leaving the box behind.

 

Then in a poof of red smoke, Rumpelstiltskin appeared and picked up the box.

 

“Well, that’s funny,” the Dark One commented to no one. “I didn’t know anyone was in there.”

 

He giggled, patted the box and disappeared back to his castle.

 

* * *

 

 

“Who are you?” Emma asked the dark haired woman and light haired man.

 

“I am Snow White of the Enchanted Forest and this is my husband, David,” Snow White answered. “Who are you?”

 

Emma sucked her breath in surprise realizing she was seeing her parents for the first time in fifteen years. Emma started feeling distressed when she grasped that her parents would see her when she was in Milah’s body. She wasn’t sure if she should tell them she was their daughter until she was back in her body. Their reunion meeting just didn’t feel right.

 

“I’m…” Emma didn’t know what to say.

 

“I guess it wasn’t meant to be,” Walsh interrupted, rubbing his forehead hard like he was about to come down with a terrible headache.

 

Emma realized that Walsh was still there and the spell did not work to bring him back home.

 

“Oh, Walsh, I’m so sorry,” Emma said while patting his shoulder. Emma wondered the reason that the spell didn’t work for him was because thinking about her parents made the spell work in reverse, bringing them here instead of transport Walsh back to his own land.

 

“It's not your fault. I thought this could work, I was sure the magic portal would bring me back,” Walsh exclaimed feeling really upset. “I can’t stay here anymore, especially with the Wicked Witch after me.”

 

“The Wicked Witch?” Snow White asked.

 

David joked, “Try having the Evil Queen after you and maybe she could do you a favor and throw you into a portal and send you back home.”

 

“David, he looks really upset, this is no time for jokes,” Snow White whispered to him.

 

“Right, well, it seems instead of the portal bringing you to your land, it brought us back to our land,” David deduced.

 

“We need to find our daughter,” Snow said to Charming. “Do you know of a Princess Emma of the Enchanted Forest?”

 

“Never heard of her,” Walsh answered, still very disappointed and frightened. “But her name is Emma.”

 

Walsh pointed at Emma.

 

Her parents looked at her in anticipation. Emma felt comforted that her parents’ first task was trying to find her.

 

“I think I know where she might be,” Emma volunteered.

 

Her parents looked at her eagerly for information about their daughter.

 

“She is engaged to be married to Prince Killian of Alleland in a couple of months,” Emma told them.

 

“Oh, Killian,” Snow White cried, “He was always such a handsome, smart and charming boy.”

 

Charming then added in a deadpan voice, “I guess we are just in time for the wedding.”

 

Emma’s heart clenched at the thought of her parents now being able to attend her wedding to Killian. She had felt sad that she had no family or friends, no one she knew, to attend her wedding and now she had her parents. Of course, the only way she would marry him was if she was back in her own body. It just wouldn’t feel right being married to Killian in someone else’s body, most especially his ex-mistress. Emma was distressed and started twisting the ring that caused the body switch with Milah.

 

“Is Princess Emma in Alleland?” Snow asked.

 

“Yes, she lives there,” Emma said. At least her body was there. She still was divided whether or not she should tell her parents that she was Emma but in another person’s body. They would probably want to know about her life and remembering King Richard’s reaction to her upbringing, she didn’t want her parents to feel double sorry for her. She never felt so undecided in her life. She knew she would have to tell them eventually.


	31. Chapter 31

The mirror genie traveled through as many reflections as he could, trying to find his queen, wanting to find out if she was still alive. His love, his queen. Her name had not been uttered by one person in all the mirrors he ventured in. He refused to believe that she had been wiped clean off the realm, she must exist somewhere. He explored Rumpelstiltskin’s castle but didn’t find a trace of her. Sensing a great power coming from a castle far, far away, he went to see who it belonged to. Maybe it was his queen.

 

He emerged from one of the mirrors in the castle and wandered around. He thought maybe he could do reconnaissance to learn more about the inhabitants of the castle before he made his move. Merging with a puddle in the middle of a hall, he heard footsteps coming around the corner. A witch with green skin walked by him. The power emanating from her was great. He decided to follow her. She made her way to the dungeons while he hopped out of the puddle and followed her. He looked around for other reflections he could make a fast getaway in case he was spotted. He saw some metal in a bowl where he dropped in to spy on what the witch was doing in the room. On a raised dais, he saw her. His queen! She was lying on a bed sleeping while the green witch spoke to her. He couldn’t hear what she said but he instinctively knew it wasn’t good. Once she left, he came out of his hiding place.

 

He walked towards the dais and gazed with love upon her face. He could tell she was in a sleeping curse. All she needed was a kiss from her true love to wake her up and they would be together. Who truly loved his queen more than he did, he thought? He bent down to place a kiss on her lips. Nothing happened. He placed another kiss on her lips. No burst of magic. She didn’t even twitch a muscle.

 

Regina couldn’t help but think, “Ugh. I hope he gets the message and stops kissing me. I could never love him, the little beggar.”

 

His heart dropped into his stomach. His love for her was not enough to overcome the curse.

 

“My queen, I will find your true love and get you out of this,” he swore to her. Turning toward the door, he strode out forming a plan to find her true love. A pixie could help him find her true love along with her pixie dust. Then once the genie permanently got rid of Regina’s true love, he and his queen could be together.

 

* * *

 

 

Emma turned the ring on her finger that Milah used to switch them. She hated that ring and wanted to throw it far away from her but she figured the ring could be used to switch them back if she could figure out how. It just seemed so impossible.

 

The ring she was used to wearing was the engagement ring that Killian gave her. She wondered if Milah in Emma’s body was still wearing that ring and is currently enjoying being a princess with her prince. Emma wondered if Killian knew there was something wrong or just figured he had a new, improved Emma with him. Milah was his mistress after all. There had to be something that drew him to her. She chastised herself, telling herself not to worry until the time came to worry. But there was still that powerful voice that told her to prepare herself for the worst and that her heart might get broken.

 

Snow and David, her parents, wanted to set out for Alleland in the morning, to find their daughter. They started making preparations for the journey. Snow knew where the secret stash of weapons was so she found her bow and a supply of arrows. David found a sword he could use and some knives that could come in handy.

 

Emma couldn’t help but stare at her parents. She started getting memories of her mother and father when she was a toddler, how they played with her, read her stories, tucked her into bed. They were kind, caring parents. They deserved to know who their daughter was.

 

“Can I speak to both of you in private?” Emma asked Snow and David.

 

Snow looked around for Walsh but he was off getting firewood for the night. They were alone and secure.

 

“Sure, Emma,” Snow responded. David nodded his head to show she had his attention.

 

“A spell was cast on me and I switched bodies with another woman,” Emma tentatively spoke waiting for their reaction before she went on.

 

“That’s terrible, Emma,” David consoled. “Who would do such a thing?”

 

“Most likely that magical creature with scaly, green skin that wanted to make a deal with me,” Emma supposed.

 

Snow and David both said in unison, “Rumpelstiltskin!”

 

“I didn’t catch his name and he giggled a lot,” Emma uttered. “And I don’t know what favor he wanted. I just told him no.”

 

“Smart girl. Who did he switch you with?” Snow asked.

 

“A woman named Milah who was my fiancé’s ex-mistress,” Emma responded painfully.

 

“That seems kind of awkward,” David empathized with her.

 

“You must be someone important enough for Rumple to cast such an awful spell,” Snow speculated. “If you don’t mind my asking, who is your fiancé?”

 

“This is why I asked to speak to you,” Emma expressed. “My fiancé is Prince Killian of Alleland and I am Princess Emma, your daughter.”

 

She paused to see their reaction and they looked stunned.

 

Emma continued, “I didn’t tell you right away because it’s not really me, or at least I’m not in my own body. To sum it up, I don’t feel like myself.”

 

Emma made a small nervous smile with tears shining in her eyes. It was tough to get that confession out.

 

Snow came towards her and cupped Emma’s face in her hand.

 

“It doesn’t matter what you look like, you’re still our daughter,” Snow said smiling at her.

 

“Oh, Emma!” Snow cried as she gave her a hug. Emma was overwhelmed with the physical affection as she started to remember her mother’s scent.

 

David gave Emma a kiss on the side of her forehead and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

 

“We’ll find a way to switch you back,” David assured her. “Don’t you worry.”

 

The royal family finally found their way back to each other and it was a joyous occasion. They sat and talked about what happened in their lives. Emma gave them an abridged version leaving out the bad things and focused on the good things that happened to her like her adopted mother. Snow feeling sad that she wasn’t there for her and another woman took her place was still relieved that Emma had someone good in her life to care for her. Snow and David told her stories of where they had been all this time and how they got there, what the Evil Queen did to them. It was a long time since the family had stayed under the same roof together and it was quite fitting that their reunion was in the castle of the Enchanted Forest.

 

* * *

 

 

Killian stopped by a small stream to let his horse take a drink and rest. If he could, he would still be on the road towards the Enchanted Forest, but it wouldn’t help if his horse gave out on him. The only way he could get rid of this constant anxiety that was plaguing him was to get Emma into his arms and never let go. There were so many dangers that could threaten her. He felt a modicum of relief that she was with her parents. She would be protected if they knew who she was.

 

He heard riders coming up the road, but he was already hidden from view where he was. When they came into view, he recognized the riders as his friends, Will and Robin. He let out a sharp whistle to alert them of his presence. They stopped and road their horses back to where he was. Killian emerged from the bushes and greeted his friends.

 

“Well, look who we have here, Robin, a prince that thinks he could just leave his friends behind without so much as a by-your-leave,” Will teased.

 

Killian smiled at his friends. “I didn’t think a prince needed his friends’ permission to leave, mate,” Killian joked back.

 

“We could have gone with you, old chap,” Robin rebuked him.

 

“I needed to see Rumpelstiltskin on my own,” Killian answered. “I couldn’t risk anyone else’s life.”

 

“Did you get any information?” Robin inquired.

 

“Not from Rumple but from the Good Witch of the North,” Killian replied. “I saw Emma was in the Enchanted Forest at her parents’ castle in a magic mirror and…you’re not going to believe this..with her parents.”

 

“Snow White and Prince Charming?” Will said wanting to make sure that he heard correctly. “They’re back?”

 

“Yeah, mate,” Killian responded. “Somehow, they’re back.”

 

“Well, they might make their way back to Alleland since there is nothing left of the castle and your father is their neighbor, friend and ally,” Robin concluded. “We need to make sure we don’t miss them.”

 

“Which means splitting up,” Killian deduced. There were three paths they could take from the Enchanted Forest to Alleland, two bridges or a ferry. Kilian didn’t want to take the risk they took the wrong path while Emma and her parents took a different path.

 

Robin said, “I’ll take the farthest path since my family’s hunting lodge is nearest there.”

 

“Okay, then Will, you take the ferry and I’ll take the middle bridge,” Killian figured they would most likely take the middle bridge if Emma and her parents made their way to Alleland and he would be there to meet them.

 

“I’ve waited far too long,” Killian solemnly uttered. “I want Emma back.”

 

The trio of friends rode for a few miles.

 

Killian told them, “Princess Belle made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to be his servant in exchange for his help to defeat the ogres.”

 

“Belle is with the Dark One?” Will inquired. He had danced with her a few times at some royal balls they attended. Will remembered her as sweet, smart and pretty lass.

 

“Yes, and she is staying with him willingly,” Killian informed them.

 

“She always was an honorable princess,” Robin said feeling downcast. It was never good to make a deal with the Dark One and even worse to break a deal with the Dark One.

 

“It was Belle that told me to go to the Good Witch,” Killian told them.

 

They rode together until Will took a different path to the ferry and they wished him well telling him if he finds Emma to take her straightaway to Alleland’s castle and send a messenger.

 

Robin and Killian conversed as they made their way.

 

“So, you’ve seen the Good Witch,” Robin commented.

 

“Aye, I have and promised I would deliver news of my reunion with Emma,” Killian announced.

 

“Was she attractive?” Robin asked with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

 

“She was blonde,” Killian answered with a grin. He knew his friend Robin had a thing for dark-haired women.

 

“Oh, pity,” Robin said mildly disappointed.

 

They continued on their journey until it was time for Killian to depart his company down another road that led him to the bridge. Robin wished him luck finding Emma and Killian told him to stay safe.

 

Robin continued his journey to the other bridge thinking about how his friend finally found someone to love. He was happy for Killian and he sensed how great his anxiety was when Emma went missing. He wondered if he could ever be as in love as Killian was with Emma. A jaded aristocrat was what he knew he was and it would be hard to sway him from being anything else especially since he was having so much fun.


	32. Chapter 32

Emma sat next to Walsh as he drove his two horses pulling his wagon. They made some friendly, idle conversation as they made their way to Alleland. They heard the low hum of voices of Snow and Charming sitting in the back of the wagon. It was a slow journey since the road had been unused for many, many years. They had to make stops to clear fallen trees or slow down to avoid holes in the road from winter storms.

"So you are a princess who is in a different body?" Walsh tried to grasp his head around it.

"Yeah, it's really crazy," Emma replied.

"I was once a flying monkey so it's not that crazy," Walsh said.

"Zelena, the green witch, turned you into a flying monkey?" Emma asked.

"Yes, and I had no power over myself," Walsh said with a look of sadness. "I did her bidding until I found a way to cure me."

"How?"

"I took a drink from a puddle that used to be a lake that has restorative properties," Walsh explained. "I didn't even know that it was magical water until it switched me back to my former self."

"Interesting," Emma pondered.

"Your father was the one that turned the lake into a puddle," Snow was overhearing their exchange and decided to chime in.

"Guilty," David said.

Emma realized so much of this land that she didn't know and so many things her parents could tell her. They had fun exchanging stories and telling each other of their adventures.

 

* * *

 

The genie looked at the whirring glow in the jar where he had trapped the fairy.

Tinkerbelle irately said, "You could have just asked me to help find your friend true love and I would have gladly helped instead of forcing me to help you."

"Actually it is not for me but for someone else," the genie answered. "I'm going to let you go once you find out who her true love is."

Tinkerbelle bristled at the deal she had to make to get her freedom.

"Fine," she figured using her power to find someone's true love was harmless. "Take me to her."

The genie smiled and jumped into a puddle with his fairy in a jar. He came out the other side of a metal urn in Zelena's castle. He made his way through the corridors and opened the door to the room that kept his beloved evil Queen.

When he got closer to Regina, Tinkerbelle exclaimed, "You want me to find Regina, the evil Queen's true love just to wake her up! She's too dangerous. She practically leveled an entire kingdom."

The genie shook the jar to get her to shut up. "We had a deal! You're going to find her true love in exchange for your freedom!"

Tinkerbelle huffed and thought about it. "Alright, let me out and I'll sprinkle pixie dust on her."

The genie opened the jar and the glow of light came fluttering out. The light expanded and Tinkerbelle emerged into a fully grown woman with wings. She sprinkled pixie dust over Regina's body so that the magical dust could be acquainted with Regina's spirit. The magical dust then rose from her body and gathered together to form a ball of light that flew out the window. Tinkerbelle became small again and glided out the same window to follow it.

The genie realized that Tinkerbelle left him there on purpose that he couldn't fly to follow the magical glowing ball. He scolded himself realizing he should have stipulated that he be allowed to follow. He ran to the corridor to jump into the nearest reflection which was the metal urn, hoping there were puddles of water he could look through to follow Tinkerbelle and her magic.

"What an idiot!" Regina thought of her genie as she continued to lay there.

 

* * *

 

Killian continued on the path to Alleland hoping he would bump into Emma making her way back to his kingdom. His chest kept aching, wanting desperately to be filled by her presence. He saw that the road was strewn with felled trees, bumps and holes and some parts had overgrown bushes. It was precarious. He had to make sure his horse wouldn't stumble and fall further hindering his progress. It still made him grit his teeth in frustration that he couldn't move faster.

Something caught his eye and he looked up through the trees. A ball of light followed by another smaller ball of light was floating above the tree line. He continued to watch it until it was out of eyesight. He wondered what kind of magic that could have been and what for.

 

* * *

 

The magical ball of light traveled over the woods, through valleys and over the river. It finally stopped at a hunting lodge. The magical ball of light traveled through the window and sprinkled over a man sitting in a chair taking a short nap.

Robin felt a tickling feeling waking him up. He figured it was his last mistress that spent the night.

"Darling, I know you think I'm some sort of sex god but I do need a break," he whispered sleepily. He opened his eyes a crack until he realized where he was, in his family's hunting lodge and he was alone. That brought him out of his dream state quite quickly. He was supposed to keep an eye out on the road for any travelers that might be Emma and he was shirking his duties by taking a short nap. He bolted upright to see what woke him. He saw a light glow on him which was the feeling that tickled him awake. He then saw a small ball of light that came fluttering through his window. The light grew bigger until it was too much for his eyes and he needed to shield them until the light waned and in its place was a fairy.

"Hi! I'm Tinkerbelle," the fairy introduced herself. "The magic light surrounding you is pixie dust that was used to find a woman's true love."

"And let me guess," Robin spoke slowly. He was panicking slightly at the moment because being someone's true love was a rather deep emotion which he wasn't quite ready for. "I'm her true love?"

"Yes, but you can't ever meet her," Tinkerbelle said matter-of-factly.

"Why the hell not?" Robin was confused. Weren't fairies supposed to help you find your true love, he wondered.

"It would just be a really bad idea," Tinkerbelle said quickly. "You need to leave now before an evil genie shows up and takes you to her."

"Why would an evil genie do that?" Robin asked.

"I didn't bother to ask after he trapped me in a magical jar," Tinkerbelle responded. "Just do as I say."

"I need to wait here to see if my friend's fiancé and her family chances to pass by," Robin stated. His loyalty to his friend and prince took top priority over anything in his book.

Tinkerbelle was getting really exasperated.

"Look, your true love is the…" Tinkerbelle was about to finish when she got sucked into the magical jar once more.

"Pardon the intrusion, but I have come to take you to your true love," said the genie as he appeared out of a mirror.

"I'm not going anywhere," Robin stepped back carefully. Apparently these two magical beings were at odds and fighting over taking him to his supposed true love. "I don't believe in holding fairies captive, mate."

"My name is Sidney," the genie bowed. "This fairy is evil and part of her evilness is to keep their true loves away from each other. I, on the other hand, am destined to combat her evilness and bring true loves together. It is destiny that you should be with this woman."

"Who is this woman?" Robin asked.

"She is held captive by a wicked witch with green skin because her beauty surpasses hers," the genie told him.

"Well, I doubt she'd look all that attractive with green skin so it wouldn't be hard to beat her in a beauty contest."

"Regardless, if you want to save your true love from a dastardly sleeping curse you will come with me," the genie reiterated.

"Right now my duty is to my prince," Robin tried to explain. "I need to stay here to watch the road for any passersby."

The genie sighed, "Well, I guess I'll just have to kidnap you."

The genie grabbed Robin and pulled him into the mirror. They traveled through reflections and mirrors until they came out of the reflection in the metal urn in the Wicked Witch's castle.

When the genie pulled Robin out, Robin felt nauseous and puked into the metal urn they just came out of.

"Quiet! We are in the Wicked Witch's castle," Sidney, the genie whispered harshly.

"Listen! I'm not doing anything you want me to," Robin whispered back.

"Your true love, she is in that room," the genie told him. "Only your kiss can awaken her. Surely you can at least give her a simple kiss."

"I don't even know her," Robin said. "What makes you think this will work?"

"It's the only thing I know of that can help her," the genie said. "Just try."

The genie pleaded with the stubborn man who looked at him with distrust. Sidney opened the door to the room and led Robin to Regina. Robin looked down at Regina and found her to be quite an attractive woman. He turned to the genie.

"Let the fairy out of the jar, then I'll kiss her," Robin wanted to at least help the fairy if things went downhill and hopefully the fairy would help him.

"The fairy could hinder the kiss," the genie pleaded.

"That's a chance you'll have to take," Robin said. He wasn't going to back down.

"Alright!" the genie was exasperated. He took out the jar from his vest and unscrewed the lid. The glow of light soared out of the jar and Tinkerbelle was freed.

Robin then bent to place a kiss on Regina's lips. As his lips felt the softness of Regina's, he heard Tinkerbelle yell, "No!" but it was too late. A burst of white magic shot out of their lips and Regina opened her eyes and gasped for the first time in a very long time.

"Thank you for your assistance," the genie gave him an evil smile. "It won't be needed anymore."

The genie then produced a dagger out of thin air and walked quickly toward Robin raising his arm to stab him.

"What is going on?" a yelled a voice that reverberated through the room. They all turned to see Zelena cast her eyes around the occupants of the room. Her expression was thunderous.

The genie decided killing Robin would be a waste of time and needed to get Regina out of there as soon as possible. He pushed Robin at Zelena and he stumbled against her giving the genie time to pull Regina from her bed of eighteen years.

"No!" Zelena screeched at the top of her lungs when she saw Regina was awake albeit weak.

The genie hoisted Regina over his shoulder and spilled some water out of a bottle he carried and jumped into the water's reflection.

This left Robin and Tinkerbelle in the room with Zelena.

"You did this!" Zelena looked at Robin with rage. Tinkerbelle then sprinkled pixie dust on Robin and then zoomed in front of Zelena to distract her.

Zelena felt like she was surrounded by a swarm of flies and tried to swat Tinkerbelle away. Robin started to float up in the air until he turned towards the window and sailed out of it.

Tinkerbelle continued to swarm Zelena with her bright light until Zelena screamed, "Enough!" and blasted Tinkerbelle back with magic. Tinkerbelle hit the wall and was almost knocked out when she saw Robin flying further away.

Zelena ran towards the window and started blasting Robin with magic. She managed to hit Robin in the back and he screamed as he crash landed in the woods outside of Zelena's castle. He thankfully landed in some thick brush so he wasn't too hurt but his back felt like it was on fire. He knew he needed to get up and run like the wind.

Tinkerbelle recovered and zapped herself away before Zelena could turn her magic on her.

Zelena let out a loud screech of frustration. "They won't get away with this," Zelena vowed.


	33. Chapter 33

Robin ran recklessly through the woods, still in pain but not bleeding. He didn’t feel a trickle of warmth or wetness so he figured it must have been a bad burn. He kept thinking about what he did. He kissed some woman at the behest of a genie. The woman was someone the green witch kept prisoner and a fairy didn’t want her to wake up. He couldn’t figure out what it all meant. He tried to put the pieces together in his mind but nothing fit.

He needed to find out whom that woman was, the woman that was supposed to be his true love.

She was beautiful with dark hair that he favored and blood red lips that were so lusciously kissable. The genie was probably enamored of that attractive woman and was about to stab him with a dagger to get him out of the way. He started to wonder at what a marvel this woman was to inspire such devotion in a man. He realized as soon as he arrived at a safe spot away from that awful green witch, he was going to find that dark haired woman that he kissed.

He found a huge boulder to hide under to check his wounds and rest for a while.

When he heard a sound, he looked up and he could have sworn he saw flying monkeys. He crawled further under the overhang of the boulder hoping he wouldn’t be spotted by these monstrous beasts. They flew overhead past him and he watched about six of them flying past as they receded in the distance. He gathered from the direction they came from, they were probably working for the green witch.

 

Robin realized he failed his friend and prince for not being at his family’s hunting lodge to watch out for Emma’s possible appearance. He decided to make his way back to the hunting lodge and wait for a message. He had his duty to his kingdom first and then he would find out who that sleeping beautiful woman was.

 

* * *

 

The genie popped out of a lake and walked to the shore with Regina still over his shoulder. When he laid her gently on the ground to check on her, she moaned.

 

“I hate traveling with you through reflections,” Regina exclaimed. “It makes me nauseous.”

 

“It couldn’t be helped my queen,” the genie bowed. “The good news is, you’re free.”

 

“Yes, thank you Sidney. You have always been my most devoted servant.”

 

“My pleasure, my Queen,” Sidney said. He couldn’t believe that his queen, his beloved, was right by his side after years and years of waiting being stuck in a box. He expected his queen to thank him profusely; even had fantasy of her offering herself sexually but that was not meant to be.

 

Regina rounded on him, eyes filled with fury, “My most devoted servant who took his damn slow time trying to free me! What took you so long?”

 

Sidney was taken aback at Regina’s screeching.

 

“I was stuck in a magic box by some fairies. I was only free for a short time before I found you and freed you,” Sidney pleaded, desperate for his queen to believe him.

 

“Magic box…” Regina mumbled. “Let’s just get me home to my castle and I’ll figure out how to get even with my dear sister.”

 

“Right, your majesty. The only problem is…”

 

“What?” Regina was irritated with his delay.

 

“Well, if we walk, it’ll take about ten days.”

“Ten days! Couldn’t we jump out of a reflection that is closer than that?”

“Your sister will have flying monkeys after you. The castle will be the first place she’ll look for you.”

“Then let her come! I’ve been looking forward to this!” Regina said with a gleam in her eye.

“Please, let’s wait until you have your strength back and then you can plot your revenge, my queen.”

“Well, where are we going to stay in the meantime?” Regina questioned, clearly irritated.

Seeing the look of cluelessness in Sidney was making her temper rise. She really didn’t want to lose her temper but Sidney’s presence always annoyed her. His only saving grace was that he was magically powerful and was devoted to her. She would have locked him in a dungeon and thrown away the key if it wasn’t for that. She figured she would have to take responsibility for her own well-being now.

Regina’s thoughts turned back to the man that woke her up with a kiss. He was handsome. She felt a spark of excitement thinking about him. Her heart yearned to feel love again. She wondered who he was.

“Sidney, where did you find that man who kissed me and woke me up?”

Sidney groaned, cursing himself for not getting rid of him. “He was a poor thief I found in a lowly tavern.”

“You’re lying, Sidney,” Regina said while forming a fireball.

“Now, now, your majesty. I found him in a hunting lodge not far from here,” Sidney decided to tell the truth for fear of burning to death.

“Take me there,” Regina ordered. The man’s clothing reeked of nobility. He was no lowly thief, she surmised. She could possibly find some shelter with this man.

 

* * *

 

Emma, Snow, Charming and Walsh were gathering wood to set up camp for the night when they heard a distinct sound of wings beating overhead. The sound was getting closer and closer.

“Flying monkeys! Hide!” Walsh was scared and found some bushes to dive into. Emma and her parents hid under some brush. Walsh’s wagon and the horse were standing nearby a wooded copse. There was a possibility of them getting spotted from the sky.

When one of the flying monkeys landed near the wagon to investigate, the simian started going through their supplies and started flinging things out of the wagon. The winged beast found some of their food and commenced to eating it not really caring about which it belongs to. Then the beast looked at the horse and started salivating, the beast approached the horse, licked it lips and was about to take a bite out of the nag when it was shot in the heart by Snow’s arrow and poofed into a pile of smoke and ash. This signaled the other flying monkeys to fly back and investigate what happened to their fallen brother.

The flying monkeys started circling the wagon and the horse when one of them spotted Walsh’s foot peeking out of the bush. One landed and came closer to his hiding spot. Another of Snow’s flying arrows hit the beast and it disappeared in a cloud of smoke. This time the flying monkeys knew where the danger was coming from and decided to attack the place where the arrows were coming from.

Snow shot several arrows at them which they ducked easily. Charming unsheathed his sword and started fighting the monkeys that came near them. Emma felt magic begin to build in her hands as she watched her parents fight off the winged monstrosities. She was so scared to lose them after she found them again after all these years. She aimed her hands at the monkeys and white light shot out from them. One by one they disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. Until there was two left.

One of the monkeys knocked Snow to the ground.

“Snow!” Charming screamed as he desperately fought off the other monkey. He needed to concentrate on killing one monkey before he could check on Snow.

The other monkey came towards Emma. Emma kept shooting off her magic but the monkey kept dodging the incoming fire. She started to get weak. Her magic took too much energy from her.

The simian found a rock to throw at her and it hit Emma in the shoulder which caused her to fall backward. The monster came closer and she crawled backwards until her back was against a boulder. The flying monkey screeched and came closer until it was close enough for Emma to smell its stinky breath. The monkey drew its arm back ready to hit her with its big claws. She closed her eyes tightly expecting to be dealt a death blow but when no blow came, she opened her eyes and saw the animal turn into a puff of purple smoke.

When she looked up, she saw Killian with a sword in his hand and his handsome face smiling with relief.


	34. Chapter 34

Charming made quick work of the flying monkey and quickly went to tend his wife.

"Emma!" Killian ran to Emma when he saw blood coming out of a rip in her dress at the shoulder. "Are you hurt?"

He took out a handkerchief to staunch the flow of blood from the wound. His face was full of concern.

"Emma?" Emma eyes widened with surprise. "You know that it's me?"

"I realized that something was wrong when you weren't acting like yourself," Killian explained everything in a rush. He was ecstatic that he found her and she was alright save for the shoulder wound. It was Milah's body so it wouldn't make a difference once they switched back. "When I found out you and Milah switched bodies, I went crazy. I've been searching for you for days."

Emma let out a small smile when she heard that Killian had known that it wasn't her. All her insecurities and anxieties about her future relationship with Killian melted slowly away until a small amount of residual remains were left.

"Oh, Emma! I missed you so much, my love," Killian was overwhelmed with relief. The wound at Emma's shoulder was a minor one and the blood looked like it stopped flowing.

"I'm so glad you found me, Killian," Emma said. Even though she was smiling, there was sadness in her eyes.

Killian held out his hand to help Emma up and she took it. When she got up she quickly turned away from Killian.

"What's wrong, Emma?" Killian was confused at her turning away from him.

"I don't feel comfortable with you being with me as her," Emma confessed. "I don't even know if that makes sense."

"I understand," Killian said in a gentle tone. "But know that I love you for you, not your face or your body, even though you truly do make a nice package, your own body and face I mean."

Emma smiled in understanding. It wasn't the reunion either of them wanted. Killian wanted to sweep her in his arms and give her a long, slow kiss. Emma wanted to take his face in her hands and give him a kiss to knock his socks off. The awkwardness of her being in Milah's body overwhelmed Emma and Killian could sense that. Then again her parents were present so maybe it was best if their meeting wasn't so physical.

Emma walked towards where Snow was and she had just come to. She woke up with a start and Charming had to calm her down to let her rest.

"I haven't fired a bow and arrow for 15 years," Snow announced. "It's like riding a bike."

"Your aim is just as good now as it was back then," Charming said proudly.

"Damn right," Snow whispered and smiled.

"What happened?" Emma asked with concern.

"Snow hurt her head when she hit the ground," Charming told them.

"I have some salve in my bag," Killain made his presence known. He took the salve out to hand to Charming. "Prince Killian at your service."

"Killian, King Richard's son?" Charming asked.

Killian nodded yes.

"Well, you grew to be a handsome, capable man, Killian," Snow peered up at him with interest. This was the man her daughter was engaged to, she thought.

"And handy with a sword," Charming added. "It's nice to see you again, Prince Killian."

Charming shook Killian's hand in greeting.

"It's nice to see you two back," Killian told them.

"You don't look surprised," Charming noticed.

"I went to the Good Witch of the North to find Emma and she showed me your appearance at your castle in the Enchanted Forest through a magic mirror," Killian disclosed.

That impressed her parents that he would travel far to find Emma and obtaining an audience with the Good Witch meant he had a true heart.

Emma introduced Killian to Walsh once Walsh crawled out of the brush. Emma noticed that Killian was very curt to Walsh when they shook hands.

They made camp and took turns as the lookout during the night. Killian strongly desired to lie next to Emma in sleep but knew she would be uncomfortable by that. He did not want to distress her further. He was content with her presence near him. He was feeling whole once again. By morning they were ready to travel be on the road to Alleland.

Killian was not happy that Emma sat with Walsh in the wagon but it would have been unreasonable to insist that Emma ride with him. She was more comfortable in the wagon. He kept an eye out on Walsh in any case. They chatted quietly while they traveled down the unused, wild road stopping every once in a while to move a tree. Killian noticed Charming mostly helped him clear the fallen trees and debris out of the way for the wagon to pass while Walsh sat in the wagon.

Lazy git, Killian thought.

Before they stopped for lunch, Emma laughed at something Walsh said and Walsh elbowed her in a joking manner which caused Killian to grit his teeth and clench his jaw. He didn't like when other men entertained his lady.

They stopped for lunch off the side of the road near a stream. Killian off-loaded all the food he brought with him in his saddlebags and shared with the group.

"Would you like me to bring you to the stream for a wash, Emma?" Killian asked.

"I'd like that," Emma said still smiling from Walsh's joke.

Killian noticed that Emma would hardly look him in the eye and turned away from him as if she was hiding herself. While Emma was kneeling down and washing her hands in the stream, Killian was crouched down to talk to her.

"So you and Walsh seem close," Killian remarked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"I felt bad that he wanted to create a spell to go back home to his land but instead the spell brought my parents back," Emma explained.

"So that's how they came back," Killian commented. "Through a portal that was meant to take Walsh?"

"Yes and it backfired and he was really upset. It might have been my fault. I was thinking about my parents when I cast the spell."

"So you care for him?" Killian's voice was tentative.

"I guess," Emma wasn't sure what Killian was asking. Then she added as a friend, "As a friend."

"Of course," Killian said unsmiling.

"Oh, Killian," Emma realized what he was getting at. "Now's not the time to be jealous."

"Why would I be jealous?" Killian tried to play it off.

"He used to be a flying monkey," Emma thought it would amuse Killian.

Killian smirked thinking of all the jokes he could make at Walsh's expense. But of course, that wouldn't be gentleman-like.

"I guess where you're concerned I tend to lose my head," Killian said, turning to her with what she called his sexy smile.

Emma stared at Killian ready to lose herself in his eyes but remembered whose body she was in. She abruptly stood up when Killian reached for her cheek.

"We better eat lunch," Emma sputtered.

"Emma, wait," Killian implored her. She stopped and looked at him. He brought his hands to her face and closed his eyes while touching his forehead to hers. "I want to tell you something and I'll close my eyes while I say this. It doesn't matter whose body you are in, I still miss your presence when you are gone. What truly makes me yearn for you is your spirit, your soul. I wake up every morning just bursting to talk to you, to hear what you have to say – your thoughts, your wishes, your dreams, all of it. I understand that this whole situation is confusing and difficult but I don't want you to keep yourself from me. We don't have to be physical. But talk to me, Emma."

"I want so much to have your arms around my and feel your lips on mine but it just seems too strange right now. I want to be back in my own body. I want to be myself again so I can tell you what is in my heart."

Killian was so touched by her response. His heart was aching with regret at what she suffered through. He wanted to give her relief and ease her worries.

"I found the spell to help put you back in your body. You just need to repeat some words while you and Milah are touching this ring-," Killian pointed to the ring Emma was wearing. "And you should be back in your body. From what I saw when you were getting attacked by that bleeding monkey, you have the magic inside of you."

"Oh thank goodness," Emma threw her arms around Killian's neck. Killian kept his eyes shut happy to have Emma in his arms whatever form she took.

They walked back to her parents to eat lunch and rest. When they were ready to pack up and leave, Killian had just mounted his horse and Emma made a split second decision to ride with him. She climbed out of the wagon and walked towards Killian.

"Do you think there is room in the saddle for me?" Emma asked Killian.

"There's always room for you," Killian said with a grin.

"Let me help you," Charming assisted Emma to get a leg over Killian's horse and into the saddle behind Killian.

Emma wrapped her arms around Killian's waist and rested her cheek on his back. She indulged in the masculine smell of him.

Killian was touched that she wanted to ride with him but what would have made it better was if she were sitting in front of him and his arms were around her. He would take what he could get. The feel of her arms around him warmed his heart like no one else could. What made the moment better was seeing Walsh's scowl as he turned around to grab the reins of the horse.

Killian smirked in response and started his horse. Emma was able to chat with her parents as they rode alongside the wagon. The steady rocking of the wagon made Snow sleepy so Charming let her rest her head on his leg to take a short nap.

Killian trotted a short distance ahead so he could have a more private conversation with Emma.

"Emma, I'm sorry that I wasn't able to protect you," Killian

"It's not your fault, Killian," Emma wanted to sooth him and he has soothed her.

"I feel responsible since Milah was my mistress and I didn't realize what she was capable of."

"You couldn't have known. Besides, it seems the magical imp that I encountered has taken an interest in me. He wanted me to make a deal with him to switch bodies with Milah and I said no."

"Smart lass," Killian grinned at her astuteness. "Deals with Rumplestiltskin, the Dark One, never go well. I'm glad you didn't make that mistake."

"Me, too."

"Most likely he was responsible for the magic behind the body switch. We'll need to be even more careful of him, love."

"What do you think he wanted?"

"With that man, anything is possible. He has a young son who seems to be a bright, good-natured lad and he has made a servant out of a young princess named Belle."

"Oh, dear. Will she be okay?"

"Belle is tough but if there is a way to get her out of the deal with the Dark One's, I'll try to find it. She seemed to be in good spirits the last time I saw her."

Emma's brow furrowed, "How did you meet Belle and his son?"

"I asked Ruby to track you when I realized you were missing. She smelled the Dark One's scent along with yours so I went to see him."

Emma was alarmed, "You didn't make any deals with him, did you?"

"No but I was almost going to. I had help from Belle who led me to the Good Witch of the North. She showed me where to find you. I'm going to send someone to let her know you are back safe and sound once we get to the castle."

"I'll have to thank this Good Witch," Emma started getting more curious about this Good Witch. "Maybe she would know what the Dark One wanted that way we could protect ourselves."

"Aye. I'll have to arrange a visit with her but first things first, you need to go back to your own body and be wedded to me."

Killian said the last with his husky voice that always made Emma shiver with delight.


	35. Chapter 35

The group of weary travelers made their way down the unused road towards Alleland. Killian felt finally at peace with Emma near. Her arms, even though they were not her own, felt cozy and snug around him. He was so thankful that he found her. He thought of her parents and wondered how it must feel to be back. As they had traveled, they had asked Killian about their friends they had left behind when they were forcibly thrown into the magic portal. He realized they didn't ask about their kingdom and he didn't hear about talks of restoring their kingdom and the castle. Their only concern was their friends and their people. He thought they were truly great rulers to think of their people first before anything else and he admired them for that. It's a shame that they were lost to everything they held dear and of people who held them dear. Of course most importantly, he could see in their eyes that they were ecstatic at meeting and getting to know their daughter again. Though, it was not an ideal situation with Emma being in Milah's body. Once that situation was rectified, Emma would be able to open herself up and really get to establish a true relationship with her parents.

They crossed the bridge into Alleland.

Charming remarked, "Well, we're leaving the Enchanted Forest. Are you sure it is okay if we show up at your father's door?"

Killian chuckled, "He'd be insulted if you went to any other kingdom for aid. You are always welcome to Alleland."

"Considering you promised your daughter to the Crown Prince of Alleland, you would have been expected to visit," Emma commented.

"Promise? What promise?" Snow asked with a furrowed brow.

"Why the betrothal, of course," Emma answered.

"We never betrothed you to anyone, Emma," Snow looked incredulous.

Emma and Killian looked stunned.

"I saw the official documents. The Crown Prince of Alleland and the Crown Princess of the Enchanted Forest were betrothed. She would have married Liam if he hadn't died," Killian said still shocked. The thought of Emma being betrothed to Liam upset his stomach slightly. Had Liam been alive it would have been awkward if he was in love (and he definitely would have fallen for) his possible future sister-in-law.

"We would never betroth Emma. We would have given her a chance to find her own love," Charming stated. "I'm sorry to hear about Liam, Killian."

"Thank you. It was very sad for our kingdom," Killian answered. Then added in a small voice, "And me."

A moment of sadness came over Killian. It was still hard for him to talk about Liam but he shook it off.

"That sly old man," Killian quipped. "Well, I'm glad. I wouldn't have found Emma if it wasn't for him."

Emma hugged him a little tighter.

"I do have you, don't I?" Killian as much as he tried to make his comment light, Emma detected a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"I promised to marry you regardless of the betrothal, didn't I?" Emma retorted with a grin.

"I'm glad I had the foresight to propose to you officially," Killian delightedly satisfied with her answer. "I guess when we get back my father has some explaining to do."

He was insanely happy that he found Emma. Before he met her his life was a dull series of events where he was devolving into a depraved, inebriated mess of a man still reeling from the death of his older brother and scared to take up the reigns of responsibility that he was left with. He never knew what it was like to be in love with a woman until now. Now with Emma by his side, he knew he could take on any challenge and obligation that came his way. She made him stronger and happier. He just needed to keep her safe from now on and to never get separated from her again.

They came to the area in the road that Will Scarlet was supposed to be watching. Killian kept a keen eye out for his friend. Finally, Will nudged his horse from behind a boulder and raised his hand in greeting.

"Nice to see you again, mate," Will said as he rode to meet them. "I'm glad to see you found your lady love although looking a bit different."

"A bit different, Will?" Emma questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"That's an understatement to be sure," Will said smiling. "I'm glad you're back in any case."

"Thanks, Will," Emma smiled. "These are my parents and Walsh."

Emma made the introductions. Will had never met Snow White and her Prince Charming but he heard their stories told so many times that they were legends in Will's mind. He was thrilled at meeting them. Killian told him to watch out for flying monkeys and explained to him the story.

"I'd love to stay and chat but I need to retrieve Robin," Will informed them. "Perhaps, we'll chat about the flying monkeys later."

Killian wished Will a safe journey when he left. They continued their journey back to the capital city.

 

* * *

 

 

Will traveled several hours to meet Robin at his hunting lodge.

"Oy! Robin!" Will shouted when he got there. "The prince has found his princess! Let's go!"

Will opened the front door without knocking and found Robin trying to put ointment on the burn in his back.

"What happened to you, mate?" Will asked, concerned.

"I got snatched by a genie to wake up a cursed lady which a pixie tried to stop, then got attacked by a green witch who sent her flying monkeys after me," Robin said in one breath.

"You've been busy then, haven't you," Will remarked. He took the ointment out of Robin's hands and put some on his back.

"You can say that," Robin answered. As soon as Will was done, Robin put on a shirt.

"Flying monkeys attacked Killian and Emma and her family and some bloke named Walsh,"

"Her family?" Robin asked.

"Oh yeah. They came back through a portal."

"The deuce you say."

"Oh aye. Snow White and Prince Charming. I felt a bit star struck when I met them."

"I can imagine."

"Let's get out of here," Will said. "We'll report what happened to you when we get back to the capital."

Robin put on the rest of his gear and locked up the lodge. As he walked to his horse, a flying monkey swooped in to carry him away. Will screamed and called out to him, but he was too late. He stood there hearing the sound of the flying monkey's wings and watching Robin's form disappear being carried by the winged simian over the trees. He needed to get back to the capital right away to tell them what happened.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Killian and the Charming family along with Walsh had not gone ten miles into Alleland when a retinue of soldiers spotted them. Security was on high alert so it came as no surprise that they would be noticed. Once they recognized their prince, they came to greet them and escort them into the capital city. Killian was rather disappointed when he saw that one of the soldiers had an extra horse that he let Emma ride. He was used to having her arms wrapped around him.

Killian and Emma were finally relieved to enter the city gates. They dismounted in the courtyard and were greeted by the staff. The head of security, Mulan, saluted them.

Killian immediately asked about Milah, "Emma's body, is she unharmed?"

"She was watched carefully the entire time. She has not damaged her body in any way."

"Good. We need to bring Emma and Milah together so they can perform the spell to switch them back. Escort us to her."

Mulan nodded and gestured for Killian and Emma to follow her into the palace while Snow, Charming and Walsh were shown into a drawing room immediately upon entering. At first, Snow and Charming protested that they wanted to be with their daughter but they were physically separated by guards. Emma gave them a small smile as they were led away. It was imperative that the spell was performed quickly and with absolutely no interference.

Killian and Emma walked down several corridors and staircases letting Mulan lead the way. Emma felt they were descending into the bowels of the palace and wouldn't know how to find her way out if she tried. Finally they were led to a small room with no windows. Just a bed, stand for washing, a book and some candles. There were two guards stationed outside and an attendant sitting inside.

When they opened the door Milah (in Emma's body looked up) was sitting on the bed. She looked up from her book to look over her body.

"What the hell have you been doing in my body!" Milah screamed. "You look like a beggar! Is that blood?"

"Thanks to you, I haven't exactly been living in the lap of luxury these past several days," Emma hissed, skewering her with a look, though it was rather weird to be angry at someone that looks like you.

"The deal still stands. You switch back with Emma and never set foot on Alleland soil again," Killian came forth to make sure Milah didn't try anything. Then he turned to Emma, "You ready?"

"Let's do this," Emma just wanted everything to be right again. She grabbed Milah's hand and with the magical ring she was wearing she said the words, "Et vos eritis mihi, et ero ego tibi."

Emma felt a sharp pull like she was being squeezed through a small tube and it felt the energy was at peace. Finally she was seeing Milah in Milah's body. Emma smiled and laughed as she felt her body, looked at her hands and touched her face. She looked at Killian who smiled and knew the woman he was looking at was truly his beloved Emma.

Milah also was looking at the wound at her shoulder and how tattered her clothes looked.

"I need my clothes replaced first and my shoulder needs to be looked at," Milah demanded.

Killian grabbed the magical ring, practically ripped it out of Milah's finger and dropped it on the floor to smash it under his heavy boot. He felt satisfied at hearing the desired crunching sound of the ring being destroyed. He could feel bits of remaining magic being released into the air.

"You'll be dropped off well beyond the border and if you ever put your toe in Alleland again, the official orders stands, you will be killed on sight. Is that understood?" Killian spoke harshly and angrily. Milah looking scared at the sound of his voice, nodded slowly. "Get her out of here." Killian pushed her at the guards that would immediately remove her and take her out of the country.

Emma ran into his arms and laughed. She was so happy to finally be herself again.

Killian gave her a deep kiss that was barely able to express the intensity of his feelings for her. He just held her in his arms for quite a moment just to savor the feel of her finally back where she belongs. But they could wait no longer. Emma needed to officially meet her parents.

When she entered the drawing room, her parents knew it was and her. She came towards them and said shyly, "Hi! I'm Emma."

They rushed towards her, enveloped her into their arms and beamed. They spent time getting to know their daughter and now they get to see her as well.

"I can tell that you are finally happy to be back and it' so good to see you in high spirits," Snow cried. She took a step back to look at her. "And look how beautiful you are."

"She looks like you, Snow," Charming grinned.

"I think she looks like you, Charming, ever since she was a baby," Snow voice broke when she thought of Emma as a baby and how they were cheated out of raising her, their sweet, brave, beautiful daughter.

Emma couldn't help but weep tears of joy to finally have her family back with her and to be able to hold and kiss Killian again. Tears streamed down her face and she couldn't help but sob. It felt good to finally release all the rollercoaster of emotions that she kept bottled up inside her. She thought she would never see this day, that she would be trapped in another woman's body for the rest of her life. Hope still poked its way through and she kept on fighting, determined not to quit. Her love for Killian was her main driving force.

Killian appeared at her side to wipe her tears away. He didn't like seeing her cry but he could see they were tears of joy. He cradled her cheek in his hand and finally, she didn't turn away or cower at his touch. This was a happy day.


	36. Chapter 36

Snow and Charming were shown to their rooms to freshen up and rest before dinner. Killian made sure to put Walsh in another wing far away from them. After Killian saw the look of surprise on Walsh's face at Emma's real form and his ensuing appreciative up and down stare, he wasn't having Walsh around his fiancée. Tonight he would be Emma's guest for dinner, but after that he would be moved out of the palace. Killian's staff would make sure Walsh would have accommodations somewhere in the city and get assistance finding a job tomorrow.

His father, the king, sent a note that he will meet all of them before dinner, but Killian and Emma were to meet him as soon as they were rested and cleaned up.

Killian escorted Emma to her room and kissed her hand as her attendants ushered her in to take care of her.

Killian was ready for a bath to wash the dust and sweat from being on the road as he made his way to his room. About an hour later, he emerged to walk with Emma to see his father. She emerged from her room looking fresh as a daisy in a yellow gown.

Killian pulled her aside to have a private moment with her.

"You can go back to wearing this again," Killian produced Emma's engagement ring from his pocket. He held it up and Emma's eyes glistened as the light reflected upon the diamond.

"You kept my ring," Emma voice was on the verge of breaking,

"Of course, love," Killian chided gently. "No one should wear it but you. When I found out Milah switched bodies with you, I took it off her finger."

He recalled when the guards were about to haul Milah away after he realized that she was in Emma's body, he caught sight of Emma's ring, snatched her hand and practically tore the ring off her finger. He held it up to Milah as sign that she didn't deserve to wear it. Her face looked sullen as she was taken away by the guards.

"I hope you still want to marry me," Killian realized how much Emma had to endure during her unfortunate experience with Milah. It was his own fault.

"Of course, I do," Emma answered. She didn't want to be parted from him.

Killian slid the ring back on Emma's finger and Emma was so happy o have it back. It was a symbol of their promise to each other.

"Thank you, Killian," Emma kissed Killian on the lips.

"Thank you, Emma, for wanting to be with me."

"How did you know she wasn't me?" Emma asked looking at him with wonder.

"She was petulant, spoiled and full of ire so I knew it wasn't you," Killian recalled the difference being like night and day. He couldn't believe how much of Milah's behavior he ignored and accepted.

Emma laughed so glad he knew the difference between two women. She gave him a kiss that took his breath away. As much as he wanted to continue their intimacy, he knew his father was waiting.

"Now let's go see my father," Killian offered his arm to escort her to the King.

They entered the King's sitting room and King Richard welcomed them warmly.

"Emma! It's so good to have you back!" the king embraced her. "It is you, isn't it?" he said with a wink.

"Yes, it's me," Emma said with a grin.

"Father, you must know by now that Queen Snow and Prince Charming is back," Killian brought up.

"I look forward to seeing them again, my old friends," King Richard was overjoyed that they were back. The fates seemed to smile down at them.

"They said you never betrothed the Crown Prince to Princess Emma, " Killian wanted an explanation. "Why did you forge those documents?"

"You needed to start being serious about your new title and duties," King Richard explained. "I figured this would be the best way and I felt Emma should come back to take her place as princess. She didn't deserve to be forgotten."

"I'm not complaining, father. But it was rather high-handed," Killian took him to task.

"Would you have met Emma if I hadn't been so high-handed?" King Richard asked. He knew as well as Killian that if he had sent him to take Emma back to the kingdom, he would rather have sent a delegation than go himself. He would probably still be living the life of a reprobate rather than taking his role seriously.

"I will always be eternally grateful that you sent me to retrieve her," Killian looked at Emma with adoration.

"Then what's the issue?" King Richard shrugged. "Let's enjoy the night. The kingdom has a beautiful princess whom you adore and will marry soon. Her parents are back just in time for the wedding. It's time to celebrate."

Killian seemed to accept his explanation but Emma felt slightly alarmed. She could sense there was more to the story but she couldn't think what so she left it alone.

King Richard was happy when they nodded in agreement. He thought they should have this happy time together because who knows what the future could bring.

King Richard then gestured for them to transfer to the drawing room where he warmly greeted Prince Charming and Queen Snow White. They were dressed in clothes more suited to royalty.

They had all caught up on what happened in their lives. Charming and Snow had described to them the strange land they wound up in. It was time for dinner when Emma realized Walsh wasn't there.

"I thought Walsh was invited to dinner?" Emma whispered to Killian.

Killian answered, "I sent a servant for him. I have no idea where he could be."

They were in the middle of the second course when Walsh arrived looking flustered.

"I'm sorry I got lost trying to find the dining room," Walsh apologized turning red with embarrassment.

Killian coughed a laugh into his napkin but recovered and signaled for the servants to offer Walsh a drink and serve his course.

Walsh sat down and the dinner continued. Everyone laughed and chatted.

After dinner they retired to the drawing room. As Killian escorted Emma to her seat, Walsh slid into the spot next to her. Killian flexed his jaw in annoyance but he continued as if the maneuver didn't bother him. He couldn't blame Walsh for being interested in Emma. She was a beautiful woman but she was his woman.

Killian offered everyone a tray of petit fours, serving everyone individually. When he got to Walsh, he maneuvered the tray so that when Walsh lifted his hand to take a petit fours, his hand hit the tray and tipped it over on his lap. Icing from the petit fours smeared all over his pants.

"Sorry, mate," Killian apologized, trying to sound sincere.

Walsh hesitating to get up but looking uncomfortable with pink and blue icing on his pants, finally excused himself to clean up. When he returned, Killian was sitting in his seat with his arm around Emma, a smug look on his face.

The rest of the evening went swimmingly until Will burst into the room.

"Robin's been carried off by those flying monkeys!" Will shouted. He was out of breath having traveled nonstop until he got back to the capital, running through the palace until he was directed to where Killian was.

"What happened?" Killian was alarmed.

"Robin apparently woke up some woman from a sleeping curse in a green witch's castle and she must have sent her flying monkeys to get him back," Will explained.

"Walsh, do you remember where we can find the green witch?" Emma asked.

"Yes," Walsh looked worried. He had no desire to turn back into her flying monkey. "She most likely she would be at her castle and I can show you where it is."

"There must be something going on," Killian said. "The Dark One is interested in Emma, now Robin has been taken?"

"I take it this stuff doesn't happen on a regular basis?" Emma asked.

"No, it's been relatively peaceful," the King added pondering what could be going on.

"Until I showed up," Emma interjected.

"We don't know it's because of you, darling," Killian wanted to comfort her. He didn't want her jumping to conclusions that all this trouble started because of her.

Snow and Charming volunteered to be part of the rescue party. They remembered Robin as a young boy and wanted to help. King Richard thanked them, but proceeded to talk them into staying at the castle with their daughter.

The evening was cut short when Killian left to organize the army to storm the witch's castle. Robin's family needed to be notified of his abduction. They needed to find out what this green witch wanted.

Everyone decided to turn in early so they can get up the next morning to help with the preparations. Emma sat on the couch and waited for Killian in the communal space they shared. The guards stood in the room near the doorways.

Emma was about to fall asleep on the couch when Killian sat down next to her ready to carry her back to her room. She waved off his hands. She wanted to talk to him about his plans.

"Killian, what are you planning to do?" Emma asked sleepily.

"At first light, I'm leaving with the army to find the witch's castle and save Robin," Killian's friend was important to him and he hoped he was still alive when they find him.

"I'm going with you," Emma announced.

"Please Emma, stay with your parents here in the castle," Killian pleaded. He didn't want to worry about Emma's safety.

"I have magic, I can help!"

"I'd rather you stay here and prepare for the wedding," Killian hoped to remind her about the wedding to keep here.

"It's a witch with magic. I'm scared that something will happen!"

"Darling, you're new to magic. Unless you have practiced I don't feel comfortable with you being near this green witch."

"Killian, this green witch tried to take my heart. Her hand was in my chest and I blast her back with my magic. If I feel attacked or someone I love is in danger, I know I can fight."

Killian stroked her cheek, "I know you could crush anyone in your way. "

He let out a sigh, "Even if I say no, would you still find a way to follow?"

Emma smirked, "You know I would."

"Then I guess you're going with me," Killian gave in gracefully. "At least I can keep watch over you."

"And I you," Emma nuzzled his cheek with her nose, pleased with his response.

Killian had so many mixed feelings. He didn't want to be apart from Emma so he was glad she was coming but he felt uncomfortable at the thought of her being in danger. They had just found each other after being separated. He lifted her in his arms and carried her to his room. He gave the guards a warning look if they tried to stop him. He laid her down in his bed so they could fall asleep in each other's arms.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! I tried to add this one when my finger lazily drifted over the mouse and hit delete instead of add new chapter which was why I had to repost the whole thing. Anyway, apologies to my readers who follow my story. Hope you bookmark and comment on it again.

The sun had just risen when Killian stepped out of the tent where they set up camp. He looked at the tent where Emma was sleeping in. He hoped she had a good night's sleep. Charming felt it was best if the ladies shared one tent and the men shared the other.

Bloody hell. And he had hoped he was going to spend some intimate time with Emma, keeping her warm under the blankets, holding her at night, waking up with her in his arms, but her father put a wrench in those plans. If it wasn't one parent keeping them out of each other's beds, it was another.

Speaking of parents, his father, the king, wasn't too happy about Emma leaving to march on the Witch's castle. He remembered how much his father ranted and raved against Emma leaving with the army. He tried to reason with her, telling her she just got back from a harrowing experience and traveling with the army wasn't a place for the next Queen of Alleland to be. He tried to cajole by telling her she needed to do more fittings for her bridal gown and make decisions about the wedding. Unfortunately nothing worked.

Then the king turned on Killian, "For goodness sake, you're her fiancée. Can't you say something?"

"She has magic and a mind of her own," Killian reasoned. "I can't control her and wouldn't want to."

The king left in a huff. He knew when he couldn't reason with anyone.

Snow and Charming wouldn't hear of not being with their daughter. Without question, they saddled up for the long trip.

Walsh was not happy about leading the way to the witch's castle. He was scared that he might get turned back into a flying monkey again with no will of his own if he met the witch again. When Emma asked him earnestly if he could help them, he willingly obliged. He couldn't refuse her. Walsh told them the witch's castle was one that she took over from an old king and that she killed him and drove the rest of his people out. Killian remembered the king who lived in that castle and that they hadn't heard from him for many years. He was saddened when he learned the king died at the witch's hand.

Killian knew he needed to check on his troops but he desired to see Emma. He took one last long look at her tent hoping she would step out of it soon.

He felt arms coming around his waist and Emma's voice in his ear, "Are you looking for someone?"

"Aye," Killian smiled as he looked at her hands clasping his waist with the engagement winking at him. "I'm looking for a beautiful blonde princess. Do you know where I may find her?"

"And for what reason are you looking for her for?"

"Because I want to give her a kiss good morning."

"Well, then. I think you've found her."

Killian turned around to find Emma's smiling green eyes. He bent his head to kiss her soundly, molding his body into hers.

"Good morning, love," Killian with his forehead pressed softly against hers. "How did you sleep?"

"As well as I could," Emma sighed. "It's too bad you weren't sleeping next to me. I would've slept more soundly in your arms."

"Once we get married we won't be separated," Killian said looking lovingly at his fiancé. "Why are you up so early?"

"I've woken up early my whole life. However a certain prince that shares a bed with me occasionally always wants to keep me in it in the morning."

Killian cherished the few times they were able to share a bed and how warm and cozy it felt. He then remembered she worked in a tavern her whole life and must have gotten up to clean the place before it was open for patrons. That wasn't her life anymore but she was stuck with the habits she developed during those years.

Killian thoughts floated to the future - when they were married they could wake up in each other's arms every day for the rest of their lives. He would keep her in bed so much the whole castle will be talking about it.

"Let's get you some breakfast," Killian said.

Emma cherished the moments when he took care of her. She watched as Killian poured her something hot to drink. He put some hot oatmeal into a bowl for her – standard food when you're camping with an army. He also added some cinnamon to both her drink and oatmeal before he handed it to her.

They sat together on a log having their breakfast as they talked about military strategy once they get within a mile of the green witch's castle. Then they were joined by Emma's parents who just came from washing up by the river. Killian realized Emma and her family were early risers because they were ready before him.

Rumpelstiltskin watched the newly reunited family from a distance behind a tree.

"So she did it," the Dark One thought, watching Emma with her parents. He observed Charming and Snow together, how they still looked at each other with admiration and love. He sighed and commented to himself, "Ah, true love lasts forever." Then he let out a little maniacal giggle and disappeared.

Meanwhile, Regina had also been observing the army from a distance.

"My queen, let's remove ourselves from this area," Sidney pleaded. "We don't want to get spotted by the army."

"No!" Regina was getting very irritated with her genie. "They're here to rescue the man that woke me up. I can't leave, not if I can help in some way."

"But my queen-" Sidney started to say when he was interrupted by someone else.

"My dear Regina! It's been a long time," Rumpelstiltskin remarked.

Both Regina and Sidney turned suddenly to the voice they heard behind them.

"Dark One," Regina answered.

"The one and only!" Rumpelstiltskin laughed. "You must tell me what beauty regimen you're using. You haven't aged a day."

"I doubt any beauty regimen will be able to help you," Regina answered with a smirk.

"You certainly haven't lost your sarcasm," Rumpelstiltskin answered. "I can only guess that you're here to see your nemesis come back."

"My nemesis came back?" Regina asked with a snort. "Who?"

"Why Snow White, of course," Rumpelstiltskin waved his hand and folded back a few branches so they could see Snow in the midst of the camp talking to a blonde haired woman.

"Snow White!" Regina whispered. "She certainly has aged."

"So are you going to send her off into another portal? Take her away from her true love?" he waved his hand to cover them up with branches and brush to keep them out of sight.

"What do you care?" Regina turned to him with a questioning glare.

"When have I not cared about your happiness?"

"I'm the only one who cares about my queen's happiness!" Sidney came forth to declare.

"Oh you're still here," Rumpelstiltskin casually remarked. "Let me rectify that."

With a wave of his hand he made Sidney disappear.

"You know he'll make his way back here," Regina said nonchalantly.

"I'm surprised you haven't gotten rid of him permanently."

"He has his uses."

"Would one of his uses be waking you up from a powerful sleeping curse?"

"Of course not! He'd never be my true love!" Regina scoffed.

"But he must've found your true love or you wouldn't be standing here…Who is he? One of the knights in that army?"

"I'd never tell you."

"Interesting, because from what I was able to overhear this army is bearing down on a green witch whose flying monkey carried off a very important person to her castle, someone close to the prince. Could this person have anything to do with what you're doing here?"

"Are you going to tell me what you're doing here?" Regina realized that he was up to something and as usual, he would try to use her or anybody else to get his wishes met.

"In time, my dear," Rumpelstiltskin answered. "Time either heals our wounds and forget old scores or…not."

Rumpelstiltskin then disappeared using his magic.

Regina sighed. She started to wonder whether he was telling the truth. Did Zelena kidnap her true love? Is that why they were here? She had panicked when she came across the army wondering if the Charmings heard she was back and was after her. The only way to find out was to make her way back to Zelena's castle and find out for herself if she did have him. She needed to get there before the army arrived.

* * *

 

The army over several days finally arrived close to the green witch's castle. Killian had sent scout teams to survey the area so they would have a better idea of how to gain access to the castle. They had just come back and they all went over the maps to get an idea of the terrain, weak points and entrances.

"We could put battalions here and here and have the catapults ready over here," Charming suggested.

"I think the catapults would be better suited here so we don't have friendly fire and put the archers here," Killian countered.

"You could put the archers here then the catapults ready on the hillside to get more trajectory, then set up a signal for the battering ram," Snow proposed.

Killian thought about it, "That could work."

"You could put the archers here then troops there and there so you would avoid the friendly fire from there," Emma recommended.

Killian nodded his head. "We make a good team. I think it is a brilliant strategy. It's time to execute."

The sun had barely risen in the sky when Prince Killian positioned his troops. Once the sun peeked out over the hillside, he let the trumpets blare to alert the green witch of their presence.

* * *

 

Zelena woke up from a deep sleep a bit disconcerted.

"What in bloody Hades was that?" she tore the blanket off her bed to look out her balcony. There she saw an army situated on all sides as far as the eye could see. There must have been thousands of them.

"Where are my useless monkeys?" Zelena cried. Those monkeys were supposed to be guarding the castle. She tried summoning them but not one simian appeared. She screamed in frustration. With a flick of her hand, she dressed herself and went down to the hall.

As soon as she stepped foot in the hall she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Rumpelstiltskin!" Zelena sneered. "What are you doing here? Did you not see the army at my door?"

"I couldn't miss it, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin laughed. "I came to kindly inform you that your flying monstrosities have all been annihilated and your prisoner has escaped."

"You did this!"

"As a matter of fact, I didn't. "

"But you know who did."

"I do. The same person who took care of all your flying monkeys," Rumpelstiltskin loved having all the cards stacked in his favor. "And I'll tell you, if you do something for me."

Zelena snickered, "I'm not making any deals with you."

Rumpelstiltskin feigned disappointment, "Why does no one want to make a deal anymore?"

"It was probably Regina. She took her true love back."

"Ah, so it was what I surmised. The Marquess of Loxley is Regina's true love. He was responsible for waking her up."

"He took her away from me."

Rumpelstiltskin frowned at the direction of Zelena's musings and didn't want to address it.

"Well, if you don't want to know where they went, I'll be going," Rumpelstiltskin got up from his chair to exit.

"What would you have me do if I agreed to a deal?" Zelena was curious as to what Rumpelstiltskin was up to.

"Kidnap Princess Emma," Rumpelstiltskin stated.

"I'll mull it over and get back to you," Zelena said.

"If you ever get out of this castle alive that is. Good luck, dearie!"

With that, he poofed away. Zelena's magic wasn't strong enough to transport her beyond the army so she made her broomstick appear and she flew up the stairs and out of the window.

* * *

 

As the trumpets blared announcing an imminent attack on the castle, Killian watched a figure on a broomstick fly out of the castle. One of knights yelled back that it was the witch fleeing. Killian ordered his archers to stand down. A group of knights led by Will carefully entered the castle. Other troops got closer to the castle in case there was an ambush. Killian, Emma and the Charmings edged closer to the castle on their horses. Their swords were ready and their senses were heightened, expecting an attack.

They dismounted from their horses to follow Will and the group of knights. Killian made sure Emma was by his side as they carefully explored each room, checking behind doors, knocking over furniture that one can hide under. It took a few hours but they searched high and low for Robin and couldn't find him. Killian even called in an engineer that could seek out hidden doorways and passages which he found but they still couldn't find the missing Marquess.

"Ain't that just like him. A whole army come to rescue the bloke and he ain't hear to appreciate it," Will remarked. Despite sounding sarcastic, it covered up his worry for his good friend.

"We didn't see the witch carry a man with her while she was flying out," Killian pointed out. "Maybe the flying monkey took him somewhere else."

He pondered over where he could possibly be. He remembered that Will said Robin woke up a woman from a sleeping curse. The only thing he could think of that could wake someone was with true love's kiss. Maybe the woman came back for him and they were together. It was his only lead for finding his friend. If he found this woman, he would find Robin.


	38. Chapter 38

Robin couldn't believe what happened to him in the last few days. He had been taken by a genie and a fairy to awaken his true love. Then he was threatened by a green witch who had been imprisoning his true love in which he barely escaped only to be kidnapped again by a flying monkey who took him back to the green witch. And now he was standing in front of his true love once again who had rescued him from being a prisoner in the green witch's castle.

She had looked absolutely breathtaking and terrifying all at once when he saw her storm into the dungeon sending fireballs to annihilate the flying monkeys standing in her way. He could tell she was having a grand time while in battle destroying those winged monstrosities, a bringer of chaos and destruction. He had to admire her for that. The sheer glee on her face was apparent as she was avenging herself at the same time she was rescuing him.

"Are you hurt?" the dark haired beauty asked.

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Robin really wasn't. "I'm still in a bit of shock that I really can't tell."

They were standing at the edge of a waterfall in which they could hide should another flying monkey pass by overhead. Not that there would have been one, considering she destroyed everything in that castle in her path except for him. He looked down at his body to see if there was any blood coming out but there was none.

"I seem to be alright," Robin looked at his true love. "Who are you? Why did the green witch keep you captive in that sleeping curse?"

She looked down as if reluctant to answer his questions then looked at him resolutely and said, "I am Regina, also known as the evil Queen. And the green witch is my sister, Zelena, who kept me in a sleeping curse for all these years."

Robin's eyes widened at that news and the implications. No wonder they hadn't heard from her in all these years. They had thought Rumpelstiltskin had something to do with it, but it was all hearsay. He had been the only one powerful enough at the time to hold her, but it was actually her sister who had some great magical power. Then he realized Will had told him that Snow White and Charming are back. This can't be good.

"I know what you have probably heard about me can't be good," Regina started. "But keeping me in that sleeping curse made me question what I've done in the past."

Robin started remembering all the stories of what she had done in the name of vengeance against Snow White. Villages had been razed to the ground, countless of people killed, refugees fleeing from their homes to start again in new place, children being torn from their parents, families crushed, it was all too devastating to contemplate.

"And when you say you have questioned what you've done in the past you mean?" Robin tentatively asked. This woman could kill him with a thought.

"I mean, I may have…overreacted," Regina said uncomfortably.

"Overreacted! That's the understatement of the millennia!" Robin knew he was taking his life in his hands while reprimanding the evil Queen, but it needed to be said. "You've ruined people's lives and murdered thousands! All for what?"

"I know…and there's no way to undo the damage I did," Regina's eyes were downcast. "The only thing I could do is be better."

It was a lot for Robin to take in. He knew he couldn't take Regina back to the capital city, not with Princess Emma and her parents there. He also knew that no prison other than a sleeping curse could contain her. Also he couldn't bring the threat of Zelena there. He would need time to think.

"Zelena, my sister, kept me her prisoner because she couldn't stand that I was getting everything that I wanted and she was jealous. So jealous that she turned green with envy," Regina continued. "I was awake during the sleeping curse. I couldn't move, couldn't scream. It was like living death. I can't go back to that."

He finished her thought, "Will she be after you?"

"Unfortunately, yes. The woman is deranged and wants to keep me as her pet," Regina stated.

Robin dare not voice his opinion out loud that derangement probably ran in the family.

Regina added, "She'll be after you too, since you could break a sleeping curse."

Of all his luck this woman was his true love. He felt that this was his penance for stealing and breaking the hearts of the women that passed through his life. He needed to think of a plan, but first he needed to get word to the palace that he was safe…for now.

He didn't know what to do with Regina but he would keep an eye on her the same way he would keep an eye on a rattlesnake or a scorpion. They had the capacity to be deadly and could strike at any moment. Her talk of being a better person needed to be proved over a long period of time before he would take her seriously and let her get anywhere near his heart.

* * *

 

A farmer was raking the hay in the middle of his field when he saw something that made him rub his eyes because he couldn't believe what he was witnessing. It looked like a green woman riding a broomstick was screaming obscenities as she flew by. He then shrugged his shoulders and turned back to his task resolving to drink less hard liquor in the middle of the day.

Zelena let out her frustrations as she soared through the air past rivers, woods and fields. She just lost her home, her flying monkeys and her sister in a matter of a few days. It was too much to take. As soon as she let out her fury, she would be able to think more clearly on a plan to get everything back the way she wanted it.

She landed on the top of a mountain where she had a magnificent view of the land. She began to think of all the power she had, yet she fled at the sight of a small army. This wasn't the actions of a powerful witch. A powerful witch would have destroyed the army and made more of her own army. She chastised herself for being weak. She promised herself she would never be weak again. She would never be at the mercy of others. She would not be cast aside at a whim.

She missed having her sister to talk to during moments of self-doubt. She didn't really need her to talk back, only the knowledge that she was helplessly listening to her gave her comfort in times of sorrow. She would have her back and she would start with finding her true love. Regina didn't deserve to have her true love. Where was Zelena's own true love? It's not fair that Regina gets to have a true love when she hasn't found one of her own yet. She'll just have to take Regina's true love from her, the Marquess of Loxley. It was his fault a whole army was at her door and made her flee her own home. They wanted to take him back. He must be a powerful man with powerful friends.

Whoever was in charge of that army would be looking for Loxley and they would lead her straight to Regina. Zelena grinned at the plan forming in her head. This was going to be so much fun, she laughed with glee.

* * *

 

Killian ordered groups of soldiers to search the perimeter surrounding the green witch's castle and to report back with any information they find. He had decided to house the army temporarily in the hall but the rest of the castle was restricted in case there were any magical booby traps.

Emma remembered as she searched the castle with Killian that she saw a room with books and potions. She was interested in getting into that room because of all the possible information she could glean about magic. She had denied the existence of her magic for so long, but ever since she had been able to defend herself from the green witch& flying monkeys and was able to infuse the ring that switched her and Milah with magic, she had been open to the possibility of learning more.

In the commotion of transporting their supplies into the hall, Emma was able to get passed the knights that were guarding the steps into the bowels of the castle. When she reached the room, she felt a vibrating energy around the tables and shelves. She carefully reached out a hand to retrieve a book when she was repelled by a magical force field. It was a protection spell that kept people from touching those books.

Emma was frustrated, to be so close to the knowledge and be unable to obtain it. She wanted so much to shatter the protection spell so she waved her hand over the energy that was surrounding it. She felt the vibrations slowly begin to build, getting higher and higher until finally it felt like the energy was broken and the energy or magic dissipated into the air. This time when she reached for the book she could touch it.

When she opened it, her elation fell because she didn't recognize the language it was written in. In fact as she opened every book on the shelf, it was all in a language she had never seen. It was even more frustrating, but she would learn how to read this language no matter how long it took.

"Emma?" Killian came into the room looking relieved at finding her. "I was looking all over for you."

Emma walked towards his outstretched arms and put her arms around him.

"I'm sorry, I just needed to get back into this room," Emma said as she hugged him. "I was able to shatter the protection spell and get to the books but I can't read any of it."

Killian looked at the writing in the books.

"It's in elvish," he recognized the writing. "All magical books are written in that ancient language."

"Do you know how to read it?"

"No, it's not a language that is taught nowadays, but I can see if there are fairies willing to teach it to you," Killian offered.

"That would be great. I want to use my magic to defend and protect the people I love," Emma said.

Killian felt uneasy. He trusted Emma but there were others that could use her magical powers 0for their own ends.

"You've been doing just fine on your own, love," Killian smiled remembering how she fought off the flying monkeys.

"I know but I want to learn more," Emma implored.

"Of course, I'll have the men load up the books and other things and as soon as we get back to the palace, I'll contact some of the fairies to see if they will teach you," Killian was happy to see her smile of approval. He put his arm around her shoulder to steer her towards the hall. "Now let's get out of here and get settled."

They walked with their arms around each other to the hall to continue supervising the arrangements when they heard some commotion in the hall. When they got there, they saw Snow breathless and panting as if she just came in running.

"Emma! Killian! It's Charming! The green witch came and took him while we went to get water from the stream!" Snow said gasping with panic.

Emma ran towards her to put her hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

Killian asked, "What direction did she take him?"

"She just reappeared , grabbed him and then disappeared!" Snow's voice was bordering hysteria.

Killian ordered some troops to fan out and search for them. They had until sunset to come back. He knew they most likely wouldn't find anything and he sent them just in case.

First Emma went missing, then Robin was taken and now Charming. As he looked up at the sky, he wondered what the hell was going on.

* * *

 

Zelena appeared with Charming right at the Dark One's door.

Charming shook the green witch's grip off his shoulder and put a distance between them before he turned back to face her.

"What do you want from me? Why did you take me here?" Charming shouted.

"I'm wicked, dear. That's the only explanation you'll get," Zelena said looking at him with a smirk.

Suddenly Rumpelstiltskin appeared before them.

"I asked you to take his daughter, not him," Rumpelstiltskin pointed out.

"Well, now that I have her father, her daughter will be fast on his heels to rescue him," Zelena pointed out. "But what do you need her for anyway?"

"You think I'll just tell you my plans," Rumpelstiltskin said with a giggle.

"Fine. You tell me where my dear sister Regina is and her precious true love and I'll let you have him," Zelena offered.

"Regina is back? Where is she?" Charming demanded, reaching for his sword and finding it gone. He needed to warn Snow.

"Why don't you get comfortable in my dungeon?" Rumpelstiltskin waved a hand to magically transport Charming to his prison. He didn't like the turn of events that were happening, but maybe he could turn it towards his advantage. He just needed to find a way.

Turning back to Zelena, he said, "I asked for his daughter, not for him. This wasn't part of the deal."

"If you don't have any use for Charming then I'll just take him back," Zelena countered.

"Now that he's made himself at home, he might as well stay and since you have been kicked out of your home, you are welcome to stay in mine," Rumpelstiltskin bowed and swept his arm toward his doorstep.

Zelena was on her guard. The Dark One never did things out of the kindness of his heart.

She made a short laugh, "You must really be up to something bad, Rumple, to open your home to me."

"Nonsense. Maybe we could work out a deal when the time is right."

"Fine, I'll accept your invitiation."

"Welcome to the Dark One manor, my dear," the door opened and Rumple and Zelena stepped inside.

* * *

 

There wasn't much Emma, Killian and Snow could do without knowing where the green witch took Charming. They didn't know where to start looking for Robin.

"We need to go back to the Good Witch of the North to see if she could tell us where to find them," Killian couldn't think of any other way. It was already going to be hard to get in touch with fairies to teach Emma magic. They only showed up when dark magic was cast upon someone and they came to undo it. No dark magic was done on anyone yet. They were just missing.

"Tomorrow morning, we set off," Snow stated. Killian nodded at her and she went to make arrangements to leave early in the morning.

Killian turned to observe the worried look on Emma's face. He hated seeing her anxious and concerned.

"I just found them, Killian," Emma turned to him with sad, glistening eyes. "I don't want to lose them."

Killian embraced her. It was the only thing he could do to comfort her. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he said, "I'll do everything in my power to get your father back. Rest easy, love. You'll need your strength."

She gave him a small smile and squeezed his waist. She didn't know what was happening any more than he did, but they will get their family together no matter what it takes.


End file.
